Neglecting Salvation hath a most provoking influence on the wrath of God Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation VVill the Lord bear this affront to his mercy that when he is willing to save we declare we regard no Salvation This will be an unpardonable crime there will be no escaping for us To sin with deliverance is no less than to throw away the healing balm that mercy provides and resolve to make our wounds incurable PROPOSITION 4. Sins after deliverance have a peculiar influence to procure and hasten destruction Our present safety is no security against future Judgments destruction deferred by Gods deliverances will be hastned by our sinning after them those whom undeserved mercies can't reclaim incensed justice will speedily ruine The Monuments of greatest mercies have been made examples to declare the severity of Justice for the abuses of them Such have experienced the most direful suffering to whom the Almighty hath been most long-suffering VVitness the deplorable state of the hardned Iews to whom the most singular favour was extended of any people on earth yet now who more miserable than those rejected wretches for their abusing favours Justice will frown most sharply upon the disdainful affronters of mercy No people are nearer an utter desolation than those who heap up sin when God is heaping up mercies Although the Lord be most willing to smite yet he knows not how to spare when provoked in this manner Ier. 5.7 How shall I pardon thee for this When I had fed them to the full then they committed Adultery v. 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall I not be avenged on such a Nation as this These sins put God to a stand he knows not how to go about a pardoning act although he delights so greatly in it how shall I pardon Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parcam how shall I spare thee any longer I can't withhold the hands of my justice I can't defer the punishment of these transgressions Thence v. 10. God gives a Commission to enemies Go upon the Walls and destroy c. delay no longer let those feel the smarting impressions of Justice that despise the sweetest expressions of mercy This wrath of God against despisers of goodness appears 1 Sam. 12.24 25. Consider how great things the Lord hath done but if ye still continue to do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King When once a people rise to that height of Impiety that the most obliging kindness Heaven can show can't win their hearts to obedience what can be expected from Heaven but the severest vengeance an Almighty arm can bring upon them Will not the Lord soon rush out upon a people with wonderful plagues when they are knocking at the door of justice by such impenitent courses The most gracious Prince would dispatch that man who should impudently persist in traiterous designs against him after a deliverance from death by his pardoning of him Thus will the King of Heaven miserably destroy delivered sinners rebelling against him Divine patience sheathing the sword of Justice will at last desist its pleading for the abusers of it and impatient justice by its revengeful arm will avenge the quarrel of despised mercy Ezek. 16.43 Because thou hast not remembred the days of thy youth q. d. the kindness and favour I then extended to thee the deliverances thou hadst from me Behold I will recompence thy ways upon thy â—ead Thou hast grieved me with sin I will grind thee to pieces with judgments thou hast recompensed me with hatred for â—ove I will recompense hatred for your â—atred Thus will God deprive those of mercies that deprive him of the glory of â—hem 2 Kings 21.13 God there threaâ—ens to wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a â—ish q. d. He would take away all their â—elicate enjoyments as meat is thrown â—ut of a dish They shall feed on judgments who were wanton when fed with â—ercies but the Hebrew signifies Delebo Ierusalem sicut deleri solent tabulae As impressions on tables are wont to be wiped out so shall my impressions of goodness upon them the former inscriptions of honour and prosperity shall no more be seen but the prints of destroying judgments shall be found upon them It shall no more be written These are a people delivered but These are a people destroyed for abusing deliverance This fatal consequence of despising favours may be illustrated from the words of God Hos. 6.4 Oh Ephraim what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away Many interpret your goodness the goodness bestowed on you or your mercies So the sence is My goodness that I bestow upon you is but like a morning cloud that is dissipated and scattered and doth no good to you you are not the better for it And as the early dew it passeth away i. e. Gratiam misericordiam meam malitia vestra absorbetis You soon wear off the impressions of my mercy as the moistnings of the early dew are soon dryed up by the earth therefore v. 7. I have hewed them by the Prophets my judgments are broken out upon them or otherwise The tokens of my mercy make but short impression on you your goodness fades away you soon return to sin what now shall I do to you I am resolved to try no more mercies I have made you grow with my kindness like flourishing Trees now will I hew you down because you are so unprofitable I will be unmerciful to you Here it will not be amiss to consider how this persistence in sin after deliverance promotes and hastens the destruction of a people 1. Hereby that peculiar respect that God hath for one people above another is made to cease and they are lookt upon no otherwise than the vilest of people in the world In Gods providenâ—ial dispensations he bears some singular favour to some beyond what he doth to others although these may be nothing more deserving than other Nations and from this favour he confers singular Temporal Blessings upon them and these he â—alls his people as especially cared for â—reserved and provided for by him But 〈◊〉 these despise his kindness and conâ—â—mn his goodness he then un-peoples â—â—em and casts them out of his favour â—nd then they become as liable to judgâ—ents as the greatest abjects in the world Thus was it with the people of the Iews the Lord separated them from all the world for his care and charge hence he did mighty things for them but continuing long in their sins notwithstanding his mercies Hos. 2.9 he bids the Prophet tell them Ye are not my people I will not be your God and this rejection made way for that ruine now upon them In the 9th of Amos the Prophet is threatning judgment against that sinful people against which they fortified themselves with presumptuous boastings of their being Gods people chosen by him so
thou not consume us c. 4. You have the aggravation of that destruction under such hainous sinning Till there were no remnant nor escaping The general Heads I shall insist upon which are immediately contained in or may serve to explain this Text are these 1. That the great design of God in bestowing merciful deliverances on a people is to reclaim them from sin 2. That such is that wickedness that is in the most of men that they are prone to wax worse after deliverances 3. That sinning after Deliverance is the most hainous sinning 4. That sinning after Deliverance hath a peculiar influence to hasten destruction 5. That Destruction for sins after Deliverance will be the most dreadful destruction Now I shall endeavour Deo juvante to speak something to each of these in order PROPOSITION I. The design of God in delivering a people from eminent dangers of ruine is to oblige them to forsake all sinful and wicked practices The intent of delivering mercies is to cause us to repent of our destroying iniquities The main end of Gods exercising goodness towards us is onely to effect some goodness in us The design of special mercies is to make us a special people The Almighty God delights not to reduce a people from sinful courses by laying them under such heavy judgments as may render them incapable of committing those sins which otherwise their wills incline them to but the way of his pleasure is to confer such mercies upon them as may sweetly conquer their stubborn hearts and gain their averse minds to himself Hence when the sin and folly of an obstinate people hath reduc'd them to inextricable straits the eternal God doth not suffer his destroying wrath to break forth against them saying I see them helpless and past recovery now therefore will I ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of my enemies but compassion being kindled in his merciful breast Now says the Lord I will lend a helping hand and give them that experience and those evidences of my goodness that shall for ever oblige them to me and win them from proceeding in ways of rebellion against me Thus all our deliverances lay us under perpetual obligations to devote our selves to the blessed work and service of our delivering God Our mercies are not beautiful Tombes in our way wherewith we may delight our eyes but Chariots to carry us on with more pleasure and cheerfulness in the ways of our gracious God The end of deliverances is plainly seen Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies may serve him without fear in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of our lives We are not delivered from enemies to continue enemies to God but an escape is given us from the hands of enemies that we may resign up our selves into the hands of our God When God prevents our becoming miserable preys to unmerciful foes 't is to oblige us ever to praise him with thankful Hearts and obedient lives Psal. 105.37 He brought forth that people with silver and gold spread a cloud for a covering and fire to give light in the night v. 39. He brought quails and satisfyed them with bread from heaven he brought forth his people with joy and his chosen with gladness v. 43. And what was the design of all this favour v. 45. That they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws Although our mercies are Gods gifts yet they greatly raise our debts The favours we receive from our gracious God are not as payments given to servants to discharge from work but like the encouragements tender Parents give to Children to increase their dutiful service and obedience 'T is promised Hâ—s 3. uâ— They shall fear the Lord and his goodness or ob tantam Dâ—i beneficentiam Grot. they shall serve and obey him for his goodnesses in returning and restoring of them that wonderful kindness was for this end to ingenerate obedient love and induce to constant loyalty to so blest a Redeemer Now had not these blessed intentions and gracious designs been in the heart of our God he had never exercised his Almighty power for our help and relief as of late he hath done but he designing to reclaim us from sin hath restrained his wrath and revealed our danger that so by giving us the advantage of such a mercy we might render to him the glory of it And what can be more reasonable than to give God the glory of that whereof we have the profit What more unjust than to cross such gracious designs as these And therefore unless we design to debar our selves from future mercies it concerns us greatly to answer Gods design in these unless we intend by our incorrigibleness to bring irreparable ruines upon our selves it highly concerns us by this goodness of God to be led to that Repentance and Reformation intended by it For to what end hath this grace of God appear'd but to teach us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we might live soberly righteously and godly in this present world I shall now propose some few Reasons why the glorious God condescends to strive with Man with thus much goodness rather than reduce him by forcible coactions and destroying judgments why he doth not ease him of his Enemies by his Almighty power but endeavour to make them friends by obliging favours REASON I. Because this way and method is most suitable to his gracious nature Rough spirited men in reducing offenders will use nothing but harsh severity but such whose nature is tempered with amiable meekness abhor such wrathful means and will make experiment what clemency and kindness will do before they proceed to powerful compulsions Thus the great God having declared himself to be most gracious will experience how far he can prevail by the exercise of goodness before he proceeds to the displays of his justice and greatness So good is our God that he is ready to make proof of the efficacy of a thousand smiles of mercy rather than of a single stroak of Justice The titles of honour which discover his nature do mostly set out his abounding goodness Exod. 34.5 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in truth and goodness The whole world is embroidered with infinite impressions of goodness Among his blessed Attributes his grace is uppermost and though he be equally just as good yet he exercises his goodness more than his justice This is the fairest flower in the garland of Majesty the brightest ray that issues from that un-approachable light the height of his immensurable and Imperial glory Now if we consider his readiness to mercy and his slowness to anger his frequency in displays of goodness and the rarity of amazing judgments his resolvedness in ways of grace and reservedness in ways of justice we may easily see 't is most agreeable to his nature to accomplish his designs by clemency REASON 2. Because this merciful method is
operations cast an unmerited eye of pity on our sinful Nation languishing with undiscerned distempers when the boundless goodness of the Eternal God made a timely stop to our hastning ruine when the heavenly witness that is conscious to the secret actions of unmindful Mortals detected the vaulted contrivances of the undermining Moles of our Common-wealth when the Almighty God who places bounds to the roaring waves and says to the raging sea Hitherto and no farther took off the Chariot-wheels of our furious Enemies when he unto whom belongs the issues from death as by a glorious Resurrection rescued us from the jaws of destruction who bore the Image of death upon us when the faithful God discovered the unfaithful dealings of perfidious Plotters and by a glorious ray of infinite goodness shining on our clouded Land hath made us a Land of Goshen who were near to be made a miserable Golgotha This is the Deliverance never to be forgotten the wonderful work with such impressions of mercy which is to be beheld with most fixed intention Now can we cast our eye on this magnificent master-piece of mercy but our eye must needs affect our hearts and ingenerate such motions as were in the heart of thankful David Psal. 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercy Can we pass by this Heavenly favour without a pious inquiry into the gracious designs of our blessed God in bestowing of it Hath this unexpected deliverance continued the choicest of blessings to us and shall we dis-appoint the expectations of God who is looking for signal requitals of it Surely such a glorious work as this wherein hath appeared the immediate hand of Almighty God the most wonderful goodness of his sweetest nature the highest testimonies of his enduring patience can never be over-looked by us unless we design to affront his mercy disdain his kindness and dare his justice But oh miserable Nation oh ungrateful people Where are the tokens of thankful respects for unmerited favours What notice is there taken that such a work hath been done amongst us Who lays to heart the operations of his hands Where are the lips that praise him the lives that honour him for it The Idolatrous Philistines could assemble and sacrifice to their Dagon for delivering Sampson their Enemy into their hands Iudg. 16.23 24. But when have we assembled to offer the sacrifice of praise to our God for delivering us from the hands of our Enemies Oh regardless people if talking of Deliverance be recompense enough we have paid it if cursing our foes be sufficient reward we have given it but if repentance of disobedience be the onely return we have yet omitted it if reformation can onely be regarded as a suitable requital we are without it What have we seen but unchanged conversations in our changed condition What have we given to the Lord but a doubled measure of Impieties for his doubled mercies What have we done but endeavoured to revenge our selves on the mercy of God that hath spared us Oh undeserving Generation that we are how do we enjoy mercies and never improve them How do we comfortably reap the profit of Deliverance and unfaithfully rob the Lord of the glory of it How do we bless our selves in escapes and forget the Almighty that gives them to us We are sollicitous wanters but careless enjoyers How are we joyful when getting out of danger but how little careful then are we to be getting out of sin Methinks the Moon that is often changing and still keeps its old spots is a plain Emblem of our wicked Nation when all things are ruining sin remains unruined when enjoying escapes from ruine still sin remains to be again a cause of ruine Oh what unchangeable Ethiopians are we in our sins How like are we to the hardned Mariners who escaping the fatal dangers of a threatning storm remain secure till another Tempest hangs over their heads What succession of mercies do we promise our selves in the vilest continuance in destroying iniquities But is there no hope◠that the consideration of delivering Mercies may over-power us from going on in our wicked courses Were they prest upon our Consciences would they not prevail to effect some reformation It may be a word that will suit to the works of the Lord amongst us may make some impression effect some conviction and produce some amendment Behold then a Word enough to melt our hearts with the reading of it to dissolve us into tears by meditating on it to make us reform by applying of it Seeing thou hast given us such a deliverance as this should we again break thy commandment Wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us c. In these words are contain'd 1. A thankful acknowledgment of the undeserved mercy their gracious God had exercised towards them consisting in these two things 1. He had punished them less than their sins deserved They admire the Clemency of Almighty God that when their iniquities were wonderfully great their punishments should be mitigated with so much mercy The Hebrew Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifies 1. Cohibere se to with-hold ones self And so the sence is elegant Thou hast with-held thy self from doing what our iniquities deserved from thee Thou wouldst not suffer thy direful anger to break out against us to the utmost but didst refrain thy self from making an irreparable ruine amongst us Hadst thou proportioned thy destroying judgment to our daring provocations and thy wrathful dealings to our vast deserts we had not been a people at this very day but thy mercy detain'd the hands of thy Justice and thou didst not so much design to consume us but onely to correct us The like acknowledgment have we cause to make having had experiences of the same clemency for when our provoked God hath come out against us with wasting Wars destroying Plagues devouring Flames yet he restrained his wrath and suspended the greatest part of the judgments we deserved from him and although when he began there was cause enough to make a full end of us all yet in the midst of Justice he remembred mercy and graciously desisted from ruining of us 2. The word signifies Cohibere aliquid to restrain any thing else So the sence is Thou hast restrained kept down our sins from rising up in judgment against us for had they appeared against us we had utterly been ruin'd 2. This Mercy was exprest to them by the working out for them so great a deliverance Since thou hast given us such a deliverance implying how merciful how seasonable how undeserved a deliverance that was they received and such is ours that the Almighty God hath vouchsafed to us 2. You have here the deep sense of duty that was upon his heart which duty was to break off sin which onely can be a just return to God for his goodness 3. You have his sense of danger if sin was persisted in after such a deliverance Wouldst
prevail upon us to reform us will not mercy cease pleading for us will it not say as Christ Iohn 17.9 I pray not for them I will put in no more intreaties for their salvation Justice take them destroy them ruine them I have nothing to plead for them How often doth mercy plead as the merciful Vine-dresser did for the cumber-ground fig-tree Luke 13.7 8. Lord let it alone this year also let not thy wrath yet break out let not thy fury ruine them but spare them this time try what they will do with one deliverance more but when nothing is successful mercy gives over and what but intolerable vengeance will then lye upon us But who can speak the dread of destruction that unmixed anger involves a people in How dreadful will it be to fall into the hands of God when armed with nothing but destroying indignation How can our hearts endure or our hands be strong when all the Attributes of his glorious Majesty shall conspire together to make us miserable When infinite wisdom shall be exercised in contriving and infinite power shall be engaged in executing the miserable destruction of a sinful people it must needs be intolerable Here I shall take occasion to shew you the misery of a people when mercy is dis-engaged from relieving of them that so we may be fearful of depriving our selves of that blessed succour we have hitherto enjoyed by it 1. Mercy dis-engaged all miseries endured are pure wrath Such miseries are much of the nature of the Torments of the damned in Hell whose plagues are a cup of vengeance without mixture The happiness of Saints in all their sufferings consists in enjoying ingredients of love in the bitterest cup that is mixed out to them when outward distresses are most unpleasing to sense they refresh themselves with delightful objects then visible to the eye of faith Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my Soul But mercie dis-engag'd there is no cordial to support us no sugar to sweeten the bitterest cup enforced upon us Ezek. 7.5 Behold an evil an onely evil cometh God never sends judgments alone to such as he favours but designing the utter destruction of a people he mixes a potion of onely fatal poysons for them then he sends an onely evil 2. Mercy being dis-engaged the lowdest cries and most importunate prayers that a people can put up will be denyed and rejected God will admit no Prayers from such as contemned his former returns of them The ears of justice will only hear the cries of our sins to avenge them 't is mercy hears the voice of our prayers to answer them or all the answer we shall have will be by terrible things in righteousness But mercy dis-engaged we are deprived of that unspeakable privliedge of Audience with God and then we may swelter in our miseries roll in our blood despair in our torments without a redress Should we by our impudent continuance in sin make mercy our enemy our most urgent cries would prove unsuccesful and though joyned with floods of tears would be unprofitable for this will bring us under the doom of those Zech. 7.13 Because when I called you would not hearken therefore also when you cry unto me I will not hear How just a retaliation was this from God although a most dreadful affliction not to have the merciful ear of God in affliction is the worst of afflictions It is dismal now to find our hearts so strangely shut up as not be able to pour out prayers but how miserable then shall we be if when involved in sinking troubles God should shut out our prayers not be prevailed with by them Oh ruining state when we in distress shall be crying Save Lord or we perish and then receive no other return but Perish you may and perish you shall for all the help you shall have from me These sins so much overcome his mercy that our prayers will never overcome his anger And as it is an argument of the greatest sinfulness in man not to pray so of the greatest anger in God not to hear prayers These iniquities are so intolerable a slighting of him that he will unmercifully slight all we do Oh what will become of a Nation when that key which was wont to unlock the Treasuries of bounty the store-house of blessings can do nothing when that Embassador that was wont to prevail for a gracious Treaty shall be denyed when that successful friend shall be denyed admittance to the Court of Heaven when that omnipotent engine can attract no compassions Whither now shall we go when access is denyed to God where shall we have supplies if our former store-house be shut up whither can we turn when he turneth away our prayers Will not our furious enemies prevail over us when our most fervent prayers cannot prevail with God What a shaking commination was that Ier. 11.11 I will bring an evil upon them they shall not escape and though they cry I will not hearken God will take no notice of their cries who would take no notice of his kindness What can be said worse to a people than this I will not hear If he will not hear he will not help if he gives no audience he will give no assistance This speaks the sum of all evils in one The root of all miseries lyes here in Gods not hearing This effectually seals men up for destruction Ezech. 8.18 I will deal with them in my fury and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice I will not hear As lazy prayers will not prevail now so the loudest Prayer shall not prevail then Thou maist then spend thy breath that now thou spendest worse and not speed Thou maist stretch out thy hands and yet receive nothing but disengaging Mercy may suffer like those Isai. 1. When ye stretch out your hands I will hide my eyes and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear Audire Dei est concedere i. e. I will not grant what you ask In the days of my Grace ye might have prevail'd and did not pray or did it formally and now in the day of my fury ye may pray but shall not prevail Neither can the Prayers of the greatest Favourites in the Court of Heaven prevail for a people under such circumstances Should the dearest Servants plead with greatest fervency they must be denied when Mercy is disengaged Ier. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me my heart could not be towards this people Standing is the Posture of Praying Though these should endeavour to draw out my Affections to them by their importunate cries yet they should never gain my heart I cannot love them I cannot yield it to them Tantum mediocriter malis ob pios interdum parcitur non ita contumaciter flagitiosis God only spares those that are indifferently wicked for the sake of the godly not those that are obstinately flagitious and ungodly Ezech. 14. Though Noah Daniel
and Job were here c. they should prevail only for their own Souls Oh says God you think the cries of your Prayer shall drown the voice of your Sins you imagine your earnest calls will make my bowels yearn to you or if you cannot prevail alone you will engage others but I tell you neither ye nor my greatest friends that can most prevail shall perswade me to spare so ungodly a people as you they and you shall not effect your desires with me so 3. Mercy disengag'd the wrathful blows of Divine Vengeance will be to speak after the manner of men inflicted in a careless manner on a Mercy-contemning people The Vine-dresser is most exact and curious in abscinding the luxuriant branches of a fruitful Vine but hacks and hews the unfruitful tree in a careless manner Thus the Almighty God measures out and limits the Judgments that are out of Mercy to a fruitful people to increase their fruit but regards not how he strikes a barren generation that are only to be hewed down as cumber-ground trees Whilst tender Affections remain in the heart of God to a people he limits the proceeding of enemies he restrains the rage of their foes he afflicts pondere mensura with weight and measure But when Justice only is exercised in Judgment the worst of times the most fierce enemies the most astonishing manner is chosen in afflicting When we are regardless of a mans life we say Let him eat drink do what he will I will be no hinderance to him Thus Mercy disobliged says Let enemies wound massacre slay whom and how they will I shall not help I will not hinder God permits enemies to do their worst to go as far as they can when he designs the ruine of a people The Prophet prays Jer. 10.24 Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing In thy correction use moderation for the anguish of thy anger is intolerable the blows of thy wrath alone will bring us to nothing The fatherly Anger of God is dreadful but the fierceness of his Anger is fatal If God doth not moderate his anger we can never sustain the dreadful terrour of it 4. Mercy disengag'd we become under a total impossibility of receiving help from any means If Mercy that should stop miseries be taken away miseries must needs flow in Whither shall the poor creature go if Mercy be gone If we resort to creatures for help they all say It is not in me If God affords you no help I cannot if God withdraws his merciful influence I have no efficacy Psal. 3.8 Salvation belongs to God 'T is the honour of God that he can easily save without any else and that none else can save without him However suitable means may be to relieve us unless there be the harmonious conjunction of God with them they prove ineffectual Creatures can never help us in distress if Mercy stands off There is a counterpoising power to the ability of created agents that may obstruct their success there are unseen circumstances that may invalidate their attempts there are intercurrent Causes and unprovided-for Accidents that may be unconquerable hinderances to their endeavours The most suitable instruments voluntatem habent non potestatem have only an impotent Velleity or Will but no effectual Ability to help us A Nation deserted by Mercy is like a diseased dying man Head a king Heart fainting Wits confounded Spirits consumed given over by Physicians Friends stand behind the Curtains sobbing and sighing weeping and bewailing willing to relieve not able Thus 't is with a Nation when Mercy is disengag'd 't is bleeding to Death gasping for Life its Friends dejected their Hearts melted but dye it must dye it will none can help it Let men be never so sollicitous most unspeakably industrious to help a perishing Nation they will be successless without mercy for they are but media deferentia non operantia means of conveyance not of efficience Mercy disengag'd there can be no binding the hands of Justice no obstructing its fatal Blows no stopping the floods of Vengeance no perswading to spare no prevailing to stay no hindering its arrests no opposing its violence but destruction will be unavoidable The highest profession the richest possessions the strongest fortifications will be no security no shelter on earth can secure from the vengeance of Heaven The united forces of all Creatures can no ways impede the actings of their Sovereign Creator Job 9.12 13. He taketh away and none can hinder him If God will not withhold his anger the proud helpers must stoop under However great the Patrons of our Cause may be whatever Allies may consociate with us whatever Assistants shall appear for us yet they can never prosper to protect us or succeed to deliver us from the hands of resolved Justice Our helpers must have the assistance of God or they cannot procure deliverance for us Had we thousands as strong as that world-bearing Atlas they could never uphold us had we a world of Confederates they could never preserve us if Justice designs our ruine The most potent Friends can never deliver those who have the Omnipotent God to be their enemy If Mercy will not help us we must needs be helpless Job 27.22 God shall cast upon him and not spare he would flee out of his hands â—ugere conaâ—itur sed non effugiet He shall strive to get out of his hands but shall not escape Neither Policy Power or Prayer can prevail with or succeed against God when not seconded with the aid of Mercy Dan. 4.35 There is none can stay his hand None can deliver from the destroying hands of Justice but victorious Mercy What need then is there to be careful that we disoblige not Mercy What grateful carriage should we have under Mercies lest we make them our enemies And if Mercy be once against us all things will work against us 5. Destruction after Deliverance will be exceedingly aggravated by that self-confounding desperation that will be in our Souls when God shall come out against us to vindicate the quarrel of abused mercies to avenge the contempt of former deliverances Then we shall not only have God against us but Conscience also will direfully torment us the reflecting on former deliverances will cause as great terrour as present dangers The very thoughts of contemn'd deliverances will damp and destroy the confidence of the Soul in renewed Miseries How can a man lift up his face before God to desire a mercy that hath turn'd his back upon God when he obtain'd a mercy How can he go to God for fresh supplies of Mercy who getting a mercy hath gone away from God When God hath lifted thee up from a low condition and thou hast gone on in a wicked life with what face canst thou look upon God again Canst expect a good look when thou lookest to him What canst expect but a denial from him when thou hast denied obedience to
this Deliverance by the nearness of the Destruction it was in articulo mortis all was almost concluded our Passing-bell rung the day was presum'd to be their own and now delivered as Daniel è faucibus perditionis from the very jaws of Destruction from the very mouths of our Enemies Oh wonderful goodness And most fitly might I mention the means of our Deliverance Vna eadémque manus vulnus opémque feret How did this sweetest Honey come from the Lions carcass Men of their own Party must impart it to us those of their own Conclave are means under God to deliver us from their own Counsels Oh the wonderful Authority of God that wrought on their Consciences so long benum'd Oh the Wisdom of God that works by contrary means No Violence constrained them but what the Almighty used with them no Policy induced them so much as Divine Power Vse 2. Is it the designe of God in delivering to reduce from sin and oblige to Holiness Let us then examine our selves whether we have answer'd these holy designs of our gracious God Oh Reader faithfully ask thine own heart Have I not been as loose and profane as vile and vain as carnal and formal as ever I was before What inducement hath this gracious preservation been to the reformation of my Life What Sin have I faithfully forsaken what displeasing Lust have I unfeignedly left what spiritual Obedience have I closed withal since I enjoyed this unspeakable Mercy Doth not thy Conscience accuse thee of thy regardlesness of it Doth not thy heart smite thee for not observing the Duties thou art oblig'd to by it Abasuerus would know what was done to Mordecai for the good deed he had done for the Kingdom Ask thy self What good hath been done to God for all the good deeds he hath done for thee What hath been done to him for his delivering of thee Hast thou not sinned the more against him and turn'd his Grace into wantonness Is that a meet requital for his kindness Are Pride Drunkenness Sensuality fit Votive Tables for our merciful escapes Oh let not this Mercy be lost for want of improvement lest you never enjoy such another Remember exoneratio supplicii est oneratio officii the laying off and freeing thee from punishment lays obligations upon thee for dutiful Obedience Mercies are to be like showers on Valleys making them fruitful as a grain of corn sown in the tilled earth bringing forth a plentiful crop of expected fruit God hath sown the seeds of his Mercies let not the Devil reap a crop of Sin Oh how might I plead with you as loving Ionathan with hard-hearted Saul 1 Sam. 19.4 Let not the King sin against David for he hath not sinned against thee and because his works are good Oh let not us sin against God let us not rebel against him he never dealt unjustly with us but his deeds are good He is ever working for us He is ever heaping up Mercies shall we sin against him It will be better not to receive a Mercy than not to be better'd by it Oh come now and consider with your selves say with thy self Hath God in his Providence made me a freeman from Popish Slavery and shall I make my self a Slave to Lusts and a Vassal to the Devil Shall God continue my Life and shall I cast it away as worth nothing Oh examine your selves how you have acted Plato seeing any disorderly would say Num ego talis Am I such an one Thou seest many go on in sin ask thy self Am not I such an one Do not I go on in sin What a folly is it in us that we utimur perspicillis plusquam speculis use spectables to see other faults more than looking-glasses to see our own Learn the Art of Self-reflection and that is the way to Self-reformation Vse 3. Is it Gods design and desire to reduce us from sin by these merciful methods Then let us not foolishly cause the Lord to use more forcible and fearful means to effect this in us Let us not force a gracious God out of his delightful ways of Mercy Why should we make him be doing his works of Judgment since he declares his unwillingness to it Shall we turn his Scepter into a Rod Shall we drive away those precious Mercies by sinful courses which with mournful hearts and wringing hands we shall be glad to be recalling Shall we make our Showers of Mercy end in Flouds of Vengeance Shall we wrest the Sword of Justice out of the Sheath of Patience and violently pull down Vengeance on our own heads Will you tell the Lord you are weary of his Mercies and will never regard them Will you declare in the presence of God that if he will not powre out his Vengeance and display his Justice and make your Plagues wonderful that you will not fear him nor break off sins Is your strength so great to stand before his Anger that you are resolute in provoking of him Will nothing serve your turn but destruction and desolation and undoing judgements You must either cease sinning or God will cease waiting and give over favouring of you God speaks Ezech. 6.9 how the Jews had broken him with their whorish heart that is he tells them they should remember Eum quasi objecta quadam violentiâ à proposite abductum invitum planè adductum essë eorum persidia ut interrumperetur cursus misericordiae Calv. That he was turn'd from his gracious purposes with the violence their sins offered to him and that it was by their perfidiousness he was brought to break off the course of his mercies Thus God is broken off from ways of mercy by our not breaking off our ways of sin The holy God is resolv'd to make us leave off sinning one way or other if his goodness cannot gain us if his mercies cannot induce us his justice will come out against us and by his mighty power he will rule us Ezek. 20.33 As I live saith the Lord surely with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arm and with fury poured out will I rule over you God will bring us into subjection by mercies or judgments his fury shall do that his favour will not But why should we cause the Lord to be so severe unto us we weary man but will ye weary God also Let us be constrained to amendment by his love or else he must curb us by tormenting punishments It was said of Israel Psal. 81.11 Israel would have none of me Shall it be so said of England that we refus'd and slighted what God gives and what he doth in way of mercy Shall it be said we will have none of his mercies none of his deliverances shall we not then have his judgments and feel his vengeance Vse 4. Is this the designe of God in delivering then wisely make use of this as an Argument to invalidate all future temptations to sin When sinful occasions offer themselves unto you damp the hurtful influence of
God will suffer sinners to stand till they are come to their full stature in sin and then he cuts them down and makes an end of them Thus Christ speaks to the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.32 Fill ye up the measure of your Fathers i. e. Ye will be filling up the measure of their sins till the Lord comes and measures out judgment to you according to the measure of your sins Oh then what cause have we to fear lest the Vials of wrath should suddenly be poured out upon us Is not the harvest of sin almost ripe or will not these showers of mercy suddenly ripen it And then the sickle must be put in a bloody enemy let in among us that shall cut us down as the reapers do the corn Oh let us dread the approaches of vengeance under the increases of sin and wickedness The measures of wrath have been long a filling the iniquities of our fathers are lay'd up for us and may be rewarded on our heads when the measure is full We ripen apace for judgments now destruction may be at the door ere we know Inferences from the fourth and fifth Propositions concerning the destructive nature of Sinning after deliverance Vse I. May destruction come after deliverance Then hence we may learn that present impunity can be no evidence of our future safety Mercies are not so inseparably entail'd upon us that justice cannot deprive us of them Present prosperity may have a mournful ending in dismal adversity National as personal salvation from present dangers may end in destruction The wings of our feathery confidence had need be clipt when we fondly presume the Almighty to be ever bound to deliver such a people as we because he hath once more graciously done it 2 Pet. 2.9 God reserves the unjust to judgment The bird that escapes the fowlers net for once may be afterwards caught we that are wonderfully preserved from the snares of hellish Plotters may at last be made a prey if we grow no more watchful Our cloudy Heavens threaten new storms The world is very full of great and unexpected mutations The turnings of the wheels of Providence are very swift and various We may now as suddenly be destroy'd as we have often been delivered Iud. 5. After delivered God destroyed those that believed not The ship that evades the dangers of the Sea more than once may be swallowed up in its Sands or shattered by its Rocks at last The reprieved malefactor may justly expect his deserved execution after a little space afforded for preparation And in truth the relief our offended God hath given us seems more like a Reprieve than a Deliverance and cause we have most seriously to fear that ere long we shall experience that Justice can destroy as Mercy can deliver Our impunity is not from Gods impotency but patience and that may soon be expir'd We have cause to dread that awakening word Josh. 24.20 If ye forsake the Lord then will he turn and do you hurt after all the good he hath done you Our not returning under good will make him turn to do us harm Proceeding in sin will interrupt the course of mercies and introduce successions of judgments You may be surprised with sudden miseries in the midst of your feigned safety God will not always draw with cords of love Hos. 11.3.4 5. I drew them with cords of a man with bonds of love that is I dealt with them in the most gracious manners striving to draw their rebellious hearts into subjection but since I cannot prevail v. 5 They shall not go down to Egypt they shall have no shelter there but the Assyrian shall be their King and the sword shall abide in their cities and devour his branches Thus may the dealings of God be changed and cords of love be turned to chastising rods to lash the backs of stubborn fools We cannot ensure the continuance of mercies but by our compliance with the designs of God by them That which was spoken to Ephraim may fall upon us Hos. 9.11 As for Ephraim his glory shall flee away like a bird We imagine we have mercies sure as a bird in the cage but as the door being opened the bird flies away so mercies will take their wings and be gone from a sinful people Trust not then to your present freedom you may be enslaved flatter not your selves in hopes of perpetual deliverance destruction may come at last 3. Will this persistence in sin hasten such certain and miserable ruine Then see what reason there is to shake off our pleasing but hurtful security admitting some fearful thoughts and affecting our hearts with apprehensions of our eminent danger Unwilling we are to admit of such Truths near our decoying hearts which may affect us with fear or grief But 't is far from the nature of wisdom to flatter our selves into ruine or to fancy our selves secure in a glorious Paradise till we be miserable in a desolate wilderness Three things says Luther will undo a Nation Oblivion of Mercies Politick contrivances and Carnal Security Well will it be if these prove not our ruine at last Oh what a fearless Age do we live in we sleep on pillows stuft with the fire of divine vengeance We cry Peace Peace and destruction is coming How do we stupifie our Senses fear our Consciences lock up our Understandings to keep out all fears in the midst of most dreadful dangers What stupifying Opiums hath the Devil perswaded us to swallow that makes us so mindless of approaching miseries How do we fortifie our selves with most fond presumptions against the threats of vengeance denounc'd from Heaven Can fancyed safety deliver our Nation from Enemies when we have nothing else to secure us Can empty boastings of conceited ability to defend our selves prevent the assaults of Enemies or deliver our Land from the ruine designed Will security in sin be sufficient guard to preserve us from all Conspiracies can neither God nor man do us any harm whilst we imagine our selves out of danger Oh nos miserrimos Oh miserable England how do we surfeit with mercies and wax sick with the kindness of Heaven and yet say It shall be well with us How do we wound our selves when the Lord is healing and destroy our selves when the Lord is delivering and yet say The Lord will go on to deliver What Prosperity do we promise our selves whilst God is threatning our ruine What Halcyon-days do we vainly expect though Miseries are ready to seize us Oh the dreadful Dooms that are threatned to so stupid a people in the Word of the Lord Oh the sad Calamities have come upon a people in this condition Is not this the posture our Enemies so greatly desire to finde us in What is their work but to lull us asleep and then to be butchering of us What is the great contrivance at this day of the Papists and such as affect them but to suppress our fears by cheating devices knowing our deepest security
will be their greatest advantage They know our Throats will lye open to be cut by their cruel hands when once we have emptied our hearts of sollicitous thoughts of destruction Hence hence it is instruments are active to inform us deceitfully that we are sufficiently provided against them for this they instruct theirs and the Devils Martyrs to obtrude on the world the highest Protestations of Innocency For this they strain their throats to swallow renouncing Oaths which they will as certainly keep as ever they intended which I fear was not at all Hence they force themselves to a Parish-Church that we may certainly think they cannot belong to the Romish Mother and that we may fancy they cannot go thence to contrive our miserable ruine Oh then if this be their plot how have they got us by it How do we please our enemies and promote their designs by our sinful Security But shall we not fear the Hammer and Nail will cleave our Pates when Sisera-like we are droll'd into sleep with a Lordly Dish of Butter and Honey You may certainly believe this stupifying Opium will be like the poyson of Asps at last Is not this the Posture most have been in when Judgments came upon them What was there but careless and senseless doings when that dreadful Deluge surpriz'd the world of old Mat. 24.37 38. How unexpected was the ruine of Sodome and Gomorrha How incredulous were the Jews of their sad Captivities and of their utter Desolation at last Observe we but the frame of persons when Judgments have been rained from Heaven upon them and we shall finde they were fearless of any storms and conceitedly secure from any miseries When the Massacre broke forth in Paris the cruel butchering was acted in Ireland the ruining Persecutions and Distresses fell upon Germany they were all involv'd in Lethargical Distempers besotted with fatal Security This is the time the beasts of prey have ever gone out to glut themselves with fatning blood This hath been the season ever selected to manage the overthrow of Kingdoms Yet examples do not warn us but we foolishly seem resolv'd to gratifie our enemies with a suitable season to ruine us Is not this the posture that God hath severely threatned in his Word to which he will ever be faithful Isai. 22.13 14. In that day the Lord of Hosts called to mourning and weeping and behold joy and gladness and it was revealed in my ears Surely this Iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die Nothing urges Justice more to confound a people with floods of Vengeance than Epicurean stupidity under awakening Alarums Hath not the Lord threatned Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved and still hardens his neck shall be destroyed suddenly and that without remedy Why then do we flatter our selves and cry Peace peace Shall we say as those Zeph. 1.12 The Lord will do neither good nor evil Will not God then say as v. 13 Therefore your goods shall become a booty and your houses a desolation Whatever may be the foundation our Security is builded upon so long as provoking Sins are heaping up Wrath Security doth but hasten our Misery 'T is possible we are incredulous that Judgments can ever destroy a People renowned in Profession as we but since our Profession is but as Samuel's mantle under which are shrouded most devilish sins or as a carpet cast over the mouth of Hell it can never be a shelter for us but stirs up the Lord to vengeance Outside-Holiness and mocking Formality renders our condition the worse Micah 3.11 12. They leaned upon God in ways of sin and said Is not the Lord among us do we not profess him and worship him Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountains of the House of the Lord as the high places of the forrest The Ark of the Lord could not save the Israelites sinning Zion will be no shelter for Hypocrites 'T is in vain to flatter our selves with conceits of safety in an outward shew of Godliness that hay and straw can be no fence from the ruining flames of Divine Vengeance Awake then from brutish security and fall to work to prevent the threatned ruine by repentance and amendment Fancy not your selves beyond the reach of judgments but tremble in your selves that you may have rest in the day of trouble Make the Almighty your friend that he may not be a terrour in the day of Evil. Be afraid of all his judgments For if you will not learn to fear that great and dreadful Name the Lord thy God then will he make thy plagues wonderful Deut. 28.38 Is not destruction coming after deliverance Are not dreadful days approaching to us Consider these few particulars following and you will see what cause we have to shake off security and prepare our selves to meet the Lord in ways of judgments who have so long enjoy'd the shines of mercy 1. May we not justly fear our ungrateful carriage towards God will hasten his formidable departure from us Unkindness shown to friends coming to us will certainly discourage them from abiding with us The happiness of a Nation consists above all in the fruition of the favourable presence of God and if by a regardless carriage or displeasing behavior we provoke him to depart our sudden ruine will be the consequence of his deserting of us Hos. 9.12 Wo also to them when I depart from them There is that absolute necessity of the presence of the Lord with a people to conduct them by his Counsel to protect them by his Power to succeed them by his blessing in use of saving means to deliver them in unconquerable dangers that if he withdraws it from them none of these things can be done by another hand Hence the Lord unwilling to ruine Ierusalem with bowels of compassion cries out Ier. 6.8 Be instructed O Ierusalem lest my soul depart from thee and thy land becomes desolate and not inhabited The soul of a man is the vivisick principle on the separation of which from the body there ensues a death all strength counsel beauty leaves the body Thus when the Lord departs the soul of a Nation is gone and then the Nation is only a mouldring heap and as a liveless carcass We certainly loose all good when the presence of God is withdrawn from us If we by our sins make the Almighty go away he for our sins will take away all kinde of Mercies from us Deut. 3.1.17 I will forsake them The regardless Athâ—ists of our age will say Let him go and what then Oh says the Lord. Then shall ye be devoured and many evils and troubles shall come upon you so that they shall say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because the Lord is not amongst us Now may we not fear God will depart from a people that behave themselves so unkindly as we at this day We slight his presence abuse his