in the highest on earth peace good will towards men Luke 2. 10 11-14 And hereby the Apostle Paul doth prove and demonstrate That God our Saviour will have all men to be saved And therefore hath no pleasure in the Destruction of any of them Because there is one Medâ—atour of God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ranson or Price of Redemption for all 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. And upon this ground the worst of sinners are exhorted and excited to turn to the Lord Behold saith the Lord I have given him for a Witness to the People even Christ as delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification There called The sure mercies of David Isa 55. 3 4. with Acts 13. 34. And then presently after and upon that account he calleth Sinners to Repentance Seek ye the LORD while he may be found call upon him while he is neer Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the LORD and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will multiply to pardon Isa 55. 3 4-6 7. This blessed Doctrine the Apostle preached unto the Corinthians when they were carried away unto dumb Idols and were notorious sinners to wit Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate Abusers of themselves with Mankind c. To assure them that God hath no pleasure in their Death And to the end they might be saved He delivered unto them first of all that which he also received How that Christ died for their sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures c. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. with Chap. 6. 9 10 11. and Chap. 12. 2. Yea the love of Christ in dying for All and rising again known and believed by his Ambassadors did constrain them to perswade men and where-ever they came thus to pray in Christs stead Be ye reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 11-14 15-19 20 21. and Chap. 6. 1 2. And this is one evident and fundamental Demonstration of the truth of what God here swears to wit That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked Christ is the Amen the faithful and true Witness hereof Rev. 1. 5. and Chap. 3. 14. And as God's commanding Moses to set a Serpent of brass upon a Pole that those who were stung with the fiery Serpents for their despising the Manna might look unto it and live Did plainly evince that it was not his Mind or Will that they should die of their stings Num. 21. Even so God hath herein more brightly manifested That he is not willing that any should perish In that the Son of Man hath been lifted up from the Earth for them and lifted up from the gates of death c. For so God loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3. 14 15 16 17. 2. It is further evident That God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked in this In that Christ by his Death in the vertue whereof he is raised again is become the Deliverer from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. for thereby he hath obtained the forgiveness of those sins which deserve and bring men under the sentence of Condemnation to the wrath to come Luke 2. 30 31. He who descended into the lower parts of the Earth and who is ascended up on high and hath led captivity captive hath received gifts in the man even for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. without blood shedding there is no remission of sins to wit without the Blood-shedding of the Son of God For it was not possible that the blood of Goats and Calves should take away sin If Righteousness could have come by the Law then Christ died in vain Heb 9. 22. and Chap. 10. 1-4 5-9 Gal. 2. 21. And unless he who died for our sins had been raised again for our justification we must have remained necessarily in our sins 1 Cor. 15. 17. But now he who bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree is raised again and saw no corruption Therefore in him is prepared for sinners and in his Name preached to them the forgiveness of those sins from which men could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 32-37-39 He hath obtained eternal Redemption even the forgiveness of our sins by his blood according to the riches of Gods grace Heb. 9. 12. with Ephes 1. 7. forgiveness of the greatest sins and sinners while it is the Day of Gods Grace and Patience And therefore he saith to his Apostles Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day And that Repentance and Forgiveness of sins should be preached in his Name unto all Nations beginning at Jerusalem which had killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent unto them And were afterwards the Betrayers and Murderers of the Lord of Glory Luke 24. 46-48 with Chap. 13. 34. Acts 7. 53. Otherwise indeed I mean If there were no Forgiveness of sins with God in Christ for wicked Ones he might be said to have Pleasure in their Death and Destruction And the House of Israel had rightly supposed what they did as the Words may be read in the Verse immediately preceding that which we are considering to wit O thou Son of Man speak unto the House of Israel rightly ye speak saying If our iniquities and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them If there be no Attonement for them no Forgiveness of them see Num. 15. 30 31. with verse 27 28 29. How should we then live Ezek. 33. 10. Or as the Psamist saith If thou LORD shouldst mark iniquities O LORD who shall stand But there is forgiveness or as the Septuagint renders it There is a propitiation with thee that thou mayst be feared And thence incourages the House of Israel notwithstanding their great and manifold Transgressions yet to hope in his Mercy Let Israel saith he hope in the LORD for with the LORD is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption Psal 130. 3 4-7 The Lord hath proclaimed himself to be gracious and merciful abundant in goodness keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Exod. 34. 6 7. He hath a great Name for pardoning great iniquities Psal 25. 11. For he hath found out a Ransom for our souls an Attonement for our sins Job 33. 24. He hath accepted a sacrifice even that of our Lord Jesus Christ who in the greatness of his love towards us gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. And in whom by means thereof we have redemption thorow his blood even the forgiveness of sins Col. 1. 14. As also to the end we may be justified from and receive the forgiveness of our sins
it from us or from any thus to turn the truth of God into a lye as we are too forward to do How shall we that are dead to sin to wit by the Death of Christ live any longer therein Rom. 6. 1 2 3. See also Rom. 3. 3-8 Gal. 5. 13. But now to rhe end we may not think that what God swears to the truth of is in favour to our sins but in love to our Souls Therefore he not only swears Negatively I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked But also Affirmatively But I have pleasure that the wicked turn from his way and live In which he plainly intimates to us his Abhorrency of Sin while he assures us of his love to Sinners and of his no-pleasure in their everlasting misery and perdition That none of us should wrest his Sayings to our own destruction as 2 Pet. 3. 16. But to this we may have further occasion to speak somewhat in what follows and therefore shall here add no more to it 2. In that this is also contained in what the Lord God swears to to wit That the wicked turn from his way and live Herein is also intimated to us That the wicked may turâ— while it is called to Day from his wicked ways and live He may turn there-from possibly and successfully This is also implied and supposed in this Oath For we cannot reasonably believe that this most Excellent One would so solemnly swear that he hath pleasure in that which is utterly impossible for his Creatures to do or which he doth not render or make possible unto them as we may afterwards further shew But that such may turn appears 1. In that he hath opened a Door of Repentance for poor sinful wicked Ones in and by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. We were indeed Gods banished Ones 2 Sam. 14. 14. And no man could by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him Psal 49. 7. But God hath prepared himself a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering and hath accepted a Sacrifice He that was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God made himself of no reputation without controversie or confessedly Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Gods own Son was made of a Woman and so became our Goâ— our Kinsman and Redeemer Thereby the Right of Redemption appertained to him Lev. 25 48 49. And He by the Charity of God tasted death for every man and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and gave himself a Ransom or Price of Redemption for all men whereby he hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us And hath opened away for our being brought back to God He hath broken the Gates of Brass and cut the Bars of Iron asunder Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psal 107. 15 16. Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. The Law opened no Door of Repentance but it clapt the Curse upon every one that did not perfectly and constantly keep and observe it As the Apostle saith As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. But Christ hath opened a way and is the way by which any sinful One may come unto God John 14. 6. He is the Door by which any one may enter into the Fold because he died for All yea rather is risen again without which we had been necessarily left in our sins there had been no Repentance from them nor Forgiveness of them John 10. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 15-17 Heb. 9. 22. And in his Name there is preached Repentance unto all Nations even unto the greatest and most notorious Sinners while men are joyned to all the living And our Lord Jesus was sent and came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance And answerably did so even the greatest Sinners while he was upon the Earth Matth. 9. 11-13 Mark 1. 14 15 And sent forth his Apostles to preach not the Law but the Gospel that men might repent Matth. 10. 7. with Mark 6. 12. So when he was Raised again from the Dead he enlarged their Commission and commanded them to go into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature of all the Nations of Mankind and there-with to call to Repentance to repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentanee Mark 16. 15. with Luke 24. 46 47 48. Acts 26. 17 18-20-23 God now commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained having given or exhibited faith unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17. 30 31. Rev. 14. 6 7. And upon this ground the Wicked and Ungodly are expresly called upon to turn from their Iniquities because Christ who was delivered for their Offences is raised again As it is said Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thought and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him Isa 55. 3 4-7 with Acts 13. 34. 2. It further appears also That the wicked may turn from their evil and wicked ways while it is to day not only because they are called to Repentance and commanded to Repent as is said But also because he who thus calls and commands them doth also enable them so to do especially where the Scriptures are vouchsafed and the Gospel is plainly preached to men The wisdom of God doth not only call unto such as have long loved simplicity delighted in scorning and hated knowledge and saith Turn ye at my reproof But to encourage and enable them so to do she adds Behold mind and consider this well I will pour out my spirit unto you to wit to strengthen them to what she requires of them she doth not call them to repentance simply but also stretcheth forth her hand to help their Infirmity and relieve their Impotency Prov. 1. 22 23 24. In saying That the wicked may turn from their wicked ways we do not suppose nor believe that they have any sufficiency of themselves so to do as of themselves or that they have naturally any freedom of will or power to turn themselves for in them there dwelleth no good thing but they are carnal and sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. But we are assured from the testimony of the Lord that he who sent his Son into the world to be the Saviour of the world hath also exalted him to his right
ye now every one from his way and make your ways and your doings good And they said There is no hope c. Jer. 18. 5. 12. Here was nothing propounded to cause them to make such an evil conclusion but that which might rationally have preserved them there-from yet we see how presently they cry out their case was hopeless But how much sooner will men do so when evil Teachers insinuate into them in their corrupt and discouraging Doctrines That God hath no cordial desire or delight in the salvation of the most of men but a secret pleasure in their endless sorrow and calamity And also 2. It is highly behoofful for men to be delivered from Desperation because when they fall thereinto they thereby are prepared to become desperately wicked as Jer. 17. 9. and to rush themselves into any or all iniquity and wickedness as the horse rusheth into the battle to wit without fear or consideration As they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination obstinacy or stubbornness of his evil heart Jer. 18. 12. So again Thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them will I go Jer. 2. 25. When men heartily entertain despairing thoughts and confidently believe there is no mercy for them they then cast off the fear of God and all care thereto relating and commit all abomination with greediness as believing they of necessity must and can but perish in conclusion O that therefore those that are Teachers of others would take heed and beware of all such pernicious Doctrines as tend to ingulph the souls of men in the Bottomless Pit Again II. The Latter Part of this most Solemn Oath of the Lord God is a most proper and powerful Antidote against that other Mortal or Immortal Disease and Distemper to wit Presumption In that he therein also swears that he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way and live Wherein he plainly gives us to understand That though he hath no pleasure in the eternal destruction of the wicked yet that will be their Portion certainly and they cannot possibly live if they continue in their evil ways and turn not there-from while he is in abling them thereto by his gracious aid and divine assistance that so none may abuse the goodness of God and say We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our hearts to adde Drunkenness to Thirst c. Deut. 29. 18-24 with Heb. 12. 15 16-29 And the Lord who is a God of knowledge hath seen it needful usually to assure men of his hatred of sin and of the necessity of their repenting and turning there-from unto him when he is proclaiming his mercy and grace towards sinners and his unwillingness with their perdition as is largely shewn in the following Discourse To the end that none might presume of enjoying life persisting in their sins and abominations And he doth oftentimes give his people warning not to hearken to those Prophets who daubed them up with untempered mortar and spake smooth things and prophesied deceits unto them telling them that they spake a Vision of their own heart not out of the mouth of the Lord Jer. 14. 13-16 and ch 23. 9-16-18 Ezek. 13 c. And the holy Spirit by the Apostle Peter hath expresly spoken that as there were false Prophets among the People of the Jews so there would be false Teachers amongst us Christians who would privily bring in heresies of destruction denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many would follow their pernicious ways c. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Matth. 7. 13-15 To the end then that none of us may be presumptuous take we heed and beware of such Doctrines as these are to wit That all that Christ died for shall be eternally saved That all that belong to the Election of Grace as they speak shall when God's time comes be converted by an irresistable power will they nill they That once in Christ and ever in Christ That all that live and die in Communion with such or such a Visible Church shall partake of eternal life in conclusion with other strange Doctrines of a like complection For they directly tend to lead men into Presumption And because men are very inclinable to flatter themselves in their evil ways until their Iniquity be found to be hateful and are very apt to presume that God will be merciful to them though they indulge themselves in their evil courses needful therefore it is that those that have the lip of knowledge should so use it as to speak the things which become sound Doctrine as Tit. 2. 1 11-15 And as the Apostle saith to Timothy preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 1 2-4 that so they may be pure from the blood of all men as Act. 20. 21-26 27. I shall add no more at this present but refer thee to the insuing Treatise desiring it may be seriously considered by thee and the Scriptures therein quoted searched into And that we may all of us prove all things and hold fast what is good and abstain from every kind of Evil. I desire to be Thy Servant for Jesus sake C. P. March 20. 1678 9. AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST DESPERATION AND PRESVMPTION EZEK xxxiii Say unto them As I live saith the LORD GOD I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live THese Words in general contain in them a Charge which the LORD GOD gives to the Prophet to say or speak to the House of Israel Wherein let us consider 1. The Occasion of these Words or of this Charge given to the Prophet 2. The Words themselves which he charges or commands the Prophet to speak 1. The Occasion of these Words or of this Charge given to the Prophet And that is laid down and declared before in the fore-going part of this Chapter where first By way of Parable and then more plainly and openly the Lord acquaints the Prophet That he had set him a Watchman to the House of Israel And what his Work and Office was with the great Danger to himself upon his neglecting or being unfaithful in the discharge of â—â—at Office As it is said Son of Man I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the Word at my mouth and warn them from me When I say to the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely die If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand Nevertheless if thou warn the wicked from his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy Soul Verse 1-7-9 Like that also
The Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked indefinitely considered not in the death of any wicked Ones for he is one with whom is no respect of persons And indeed if he had any pleasure in the death of any wicked ones it might reasonably be conceived and concluded That he hath pleasure in the death of the wicked in his Church Because their wickedness is greater and more inexcusable than that of others Because they have more excellent and choice Advantages Means and gracious Assistances than others have to wash their hearts and feet from wickedness that they may be saved And therefore if they continue sinners or treacherously depart from him he is more highly displeased with them and severe toward them As it is said You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. Though indignation wrath tribulation and anguish will be upon every Soul of man that doth evil yet it will be upon the Jew first because he hath much more advantage than the Gentile to be and do better And to whom much is given of them will much be required Rom. 2. 8-11 and Chap. 3. 1 2. Luke 12. 47 48. When in the times of ignorance God winks his eyes are upon all their ways who have choice means of knowledge vouchsafed to them they are not hid from his face neither is their iniquity hid from his eyes And first he will recompense their iniquity and their sin double because they have defiled his land c. Acts 17. 30. with Jer. 16. 16-18 So that these words being directly spoken unto though not confined unto the house of Israel do more powerfully ascertain that he hath no pleasure in the death of any other And are as it were a powerful Argument to evince the truth thereof He who hath no pleasure in the everlasting Ruine and Destruction of such as sin against the clearest Light greatest Grace and choicest Advantages to be sure he hath none in their eternal Perdition who have not such Means and Advantages for knowing and serving him Matth. 11. 20-24 If he be so compassionate towards the greatest Transgressors and be altogether unwilling that they should die how can we suppose but that he is loath and unwilling they should perish who are not such hainous Offenders even as the Apostle signifies to us that he who was the chief of sinners obtained mercy that in him first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a Pattern to such as were not such great sinners even to them that should delay to believe on him unto life everlasting 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. So we may also here understand it But what is said may suffice to the second Inquiry and we shall desire to proceed unto the next namely 3. What are we to understand by this Phrase no pleasure And to that we say hereby is meant and signified That it is not at all delightful or well-pleasing unto him that such as are wicked Ones should be destroyed with an everlasting Destruction As he is a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Psal 5. 4-6 And as he hath no pleasure in fools or wicked ones Eccl. 5. 4. So also he hath no delight or pleasure in the death of the wicked As he here swears unto us he hath no pleasure none at all That is to say 1. He hath no Revealed Pleasure in the Death of the wicked that Revelation he hath given of his heart and mind in the holy Scriptures declares no such will or well-pleasedness in him or affection to any such thing but the contrary thereto As plainly appears in that Scripture we are considering 2. Nor hath he any secret pleasure will or delight therein As appears by this Revelation of his Will which he hath given forth to the Sons of Men He speaks thus to us and by his Oath assures us of the truth of it who onely perfectly knows himself which we do not for we cannot by searching find out God we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection Job 11. 7-9 But he who is perfect in the knowledge of himself and all things as Job 36. 4. And perfectly knows his own Mind and Will saith and swears that he hath no pleasure And his mouth herein in all things speaks truth for it is impossible for him to lye Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Yea let God be true and every man a lyar Rom. 3. 4. And indeed the word here translated Pleasure signifies inward intention delight affection well pleasedness And oh let us not be faithless but believing let us give glory to him in believing him when he thus solemnly swears I live saith the Lord God if I will or be well-pleased in the Death of the wicked That is as it is rendred with us and suitable to such like manner of speakings in other places I have no pleasure in their death So what is thus expressed in one place I sware in my wrath if they should enter into my rest Is thus exprest and explained in another by the holy Spirit He sware that they should not enter into his rest Compare Psal 95. 11. and Heb. 3. 11. with verse 18. Mark 8. 12. with Mat. 16. 4. And what hath been now said may in some measure deliver us from entertaining a very corrupt and pernicious Gloss which too many have put upon this Scripture and others that are like unto it namely Some say It is true indeed God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked That is say they He hath no Revealed Will or Pleasure therein his Revealed Will is That all men should be saved But his Secret Pleasure or the Will of his good Pleasure is that the most of men should perish and be eternally miserable and therefore he reprobated them or past them by before they were born so as in conclusion they must unavoidably have their Portion in that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And in thus speaking they plainly signifie That his Revealed and Secret Will are contrary the one to the other Answ Now for Answer thereto and to discover a little the Evil and Perniciousness of that Distinction or Division rather of the Will of God consider we diligently these things To wit 1. It savours of high Presumption and Daringness of Spirit to give out that God hath a Secret Will contrary to his Revealed Will For if his Will be Secret how come they to know it or ro know that it is contrary to that Revelation of his Mind and Will he hath vouchsafed to us Or why may not others as well know that secret Will they speak of as themselves For in truth none knows what his Will is any further than it is Revealed nor doth it appertain to any to know it And they who would be prying there-into intrude into things they have not seen being vainly
the people and among the heathen Psalm 108. 3 4. And when he thus saith Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains or Mountains of God thy Judgments are a great deep He presently adds thereto by way of Admiration How excellent is thy Loving-kindness O God! To wit toward the Children of Men As if he would intimate to us and to our shallow Capacities That though he could compare Gods Righteousness and Judgments to somewhat yet his Mercy or Merciful-kindness is admirably inconceivably incomparably Great so as he knew not what to compare that unto Psal 36. 6 7. and 144. 3 4. and 145. 8 9. And doth not our Blessed Saviour speak also after such a rate when he saith So God loved the World c. John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 11. So that from what hath been said we do and may safely conclude That the LORD GOD hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked none at all Not onely no Revealed pleasure therein But also no Secret or hidden Will or Pleasure therein as he swears unto us And what hath been said about this Third Enquiry meets with and gives Answer unto another evil Distinction and Opposition of some against the Current of the Gospel Namely say some It is true indeed God hath no delight or pleasure in the death of the wicked simply considered But he hath pleasure therein Respectively to wit in order to the manifestation of the Glory of his Justice Answer Now to this I say briefly If he hath pleasure in their Death or in the Death of some of them in order to the manifestation of the Glory of his Righteousness or Justice then he hath some pleasure in their Death for as is usually said He that wills the End wills the Means conducing thereto And so also it is in this particular if their evil Distinction were true as indeed it is not But in their so saying they contradict this Text and deny the truth of Gods Oath who swears by himself by his life That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked And besides God needs not the Destruction of any of Mankind for the Glory of his Justice for the Glory of his Righteousness is manifested in giving to every One according to his works And so in Acts of Grace and Mercy toward men that they might Repent and towards such as do turn to him from their Iniquities Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful Ps 116. 5. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1. 9. 2 Thes 1. 5. And his Mercy is magnified in destroying implacable and impenitent sinners As it is said He over-threw or shaked off Pharaoh and his Host in the Red-Sea for his mercy endureth for ever Who smote great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever And slew famous Kings for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. 15-20 But we shall add no more unto the Third Enquiry but consider the next namely 4. When or during what time hath he no pleasure none at all neither Revealed nor Secret in the Death and everlasting Destruction of the wicked Indefinitely considered And to that we may say It is plainly intimated to us in the Words as they are rendred with us During what time he hath no Will Pleasure or Delight in their Death namely Now in this present Day of his Grace and Patience As it is here expressed I have no pleasure c. To wit while it is called to Day As the Holy Gost saith To Day if you will hear his Voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation c. Heb. 3. 7 8. and Ch. 4. 7. All the time Christ is interceding for Transgressors in Heaven and that is while he is vouchsafing Gracious Means to them on Earth Behold now is the accepted time Behold now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 5. 20. with Chap 6. 1 2. According to what the Apostle Peter saith The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Indeed this time or season will not last always his Spirit will not always strive with men as Gen. 6. 3. When once the Day of Grace is fully ended he that now swears he hath no pleasure in their Death will swear in his wrath that they shall not enter into his rest as Heb. 3. 7-11 He will then have pleasure in their Destruction As it is said Because ye have set at naught all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord They would none of my counsel they depised all my reproof Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own ways and be filled with their own devices Prov. 1. 24-26-31 Then He that made them will not have mercy upon them and he that formed them will shew them no favour as Isa 27. 11. And when he pleases he can put an end to that Day and to mens Lives for their times are in his Hand to continue or cut off as is good before him The Consideration whereof is proper and powerful to excite us all to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is near Isa 55. 6. To make haste and not delay to keep Gods Commandments For if he cut off or shut up or gather together then who can hinder him No man hath power over the Spirit his own or God's to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of Death And there is no casting of Weapons in that War neither shall wickedness deliver them that are given to it Eccl. 8. 8. Now therefore in the opportune season turn we from our Iniquities that we may understand his truth For in the Grave whither we are a going there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom Eccles 9. 10. Then there will be a great Gulf fixed so as there will be no possibility of passing from one state to another What-ever our hand therefore finds to do let us do it with our might in the present opportunity To this purpose and upon this account our Lord thus instructs and counsels Strive saith he to wit in the present time to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in namely when it is too late and shall not be able When once the Master of the house is risen up and shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open unto us
or O that thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace Luke 19. 42. As also the truth of what the Lord swears to appears in that he speaks as one grieved at the very heart that men have turned a deaf ear to him and scattered their ways unto strangers and obeyed not his Voice As it is said by himself Forty years longer was I grieved with this generation and said it is a people that do err in their hearts and they have not known my ways Psal 95. 10. So he speaks as one grieved in Spirit and saith My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me Psal 81. 8-11 And of our Lord Jesus who is the Image of the Invisible God it is said When he beheld the City he wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou c. Luke 19. 41 42. John 13. 21. The truth hereof also is evidenced In his slowness to Anger and loathness to give them up who refused to return unto him but were Idolaters and bent to back-sliding from the Lord. As How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I delivar thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Seboim Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee And I will not enter into the City Hos 11. 2-8 9. Mal. 3. 6. And lastly As to this particular That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked is evident and evidenced in his Readiness to Repent him of the Evil threatned by him and justly deserved by them upon their turning to him And readiness to receive unto his Mercy great sinners though their wickedness hath been very great and long continued in Though their wickedness hath been like unto Sodom and Gomorrah and though their sins have been as Scarlet and red like Crimson yea though they have spoken and done evil things as they could As Isa 1. 10-18 Jer. 3. 15. So the Lord saith Turn unto the Lord your God And to move them so to do he adds For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Joel 2. 12 13. Thus he dealt with Nineveh when he saw their works that they turned from their evil way God repented him of the evil that he said he would do unto them and he did it not But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry and said I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil Jonah 3. 8-10 and 4. 1. 2. So when Ephraim repented and smote upon the thigh the Lord saith Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Jer. 31. 18-20 How ready and forward was the Father in the Parable to be reconciled unto and with joy to receive and give entertainment unto his prodigal Son when through his necessity and indigency he though of returning and began so to do When he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and fell on his neck and kissed him c. And I say unto you saith our Saviour That joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance Luke 15. 2-7-12-32 Nay when some such have not turned to him with the whole heart but feignedly how ready hath he been to spare them As it is said Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouths and they lied unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath And the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation Psalm 78. 34-36-38 1 King 21. 27-29 Now all these things considered and put together do clearly evince and evidence to us That the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth How can it once enter into our hearts or be entertained by us That he who so expostulates with wicked Ones and saith Why will ye die That so pathetically desires desires their good that is so grieved at the heart for the hardness of their hearts as Mark 3. 5. That is so loath to give up such as have highly provoked him to anger That is so ready to repent him of the evil and to receive with joy and gladness such as repent and turn unto him from their Iniquities and to spare them who feignedly turn unto him that they might consider their ways and turn their feet unto his Testimonies That he mean time doth secretly delight in and desire their Eternal Ruine O my Soul come not thou into the Secret of them who suffer such wicked thoughts of God to lodge within them Unto their Assembly mine Honour be not thou united as Gen. 49. 5 6. 7. As also it appears That the Lord hath no pleasure in the Eternal Ruine of the Wicked while it is the Day of his Grace and Patience Because he doth not delight in severely correcting here in this World He doth not willingly or from the heart afflict or grieve the children of men To crush under his feet all the Prisoners of the earth the Lord approveth it not Or feeth it not to wit with delight Lam. 3. 33-36 He doth indeed afflict and execute judgments in the Earth on those who contemn his Counsels But he doth not take Pleasure therein nor doth he punish them but when their need requires it for he is slow to anger and his Soul is grieved for their misery who have greatly sinned against him Judg. 10. 16. It is not pleasing to him now to plead with wicked Ones in his furious Rebukes Hence it is said The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work so called because it is an unpleasant work to him As Job's breath is said to be strange unpleasant undelightful to his Wife Job 19. 13-17 And bring to pass his Act his strange Act Isa 28. 21. And therefore he doth not bring to pass his strange Act till there be a necessity for it as it were And all more gracious and favourable means and methods have proved unsuccessful and ineffectual Hence the Lord saith I will melt them and try them to
which notwithstanding any thing there said may yet be done 1 Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 16. 26. Now what hath been said to this Objection is not said That men might continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid But to the end That such as conclude against themselves that there is no hope for them might not be discouraged from turning from their evil ways unto God For when God saith in any place of Scripture to the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin c. he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 33. 11-13-16 Nay when the Lord said unto Jeremiah Though Moses and Samuel stood before me my mind could not be toward this people c. Jer. 15. 1-3 and Ch. 16. And The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron and with the point of a Diamond c. for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger which shall burn for ever Chap. 17. 1 2 3. Yet after all this he thus commands the Prophet Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying Behold I frame evil and devise a device against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good Jer. 18. 1-6-8-11 Oh then however you have sinned do not say as Cain did that your iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven Gen. 4. 13. Do not so dishonour the Father of Mercies as to conclude he cannot redeem you from your iniquities or deliver you from your transgressions as Isa 50. 1 2 3 4. but return unto him and he will return unto you Mal. 3. 7. And consider thereto that God hath reserved this to himself as his Prerogative To shew mercy to such sinners as unto whom men cannot lawfully shew mercy They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again Shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again unto me saith the LORD Jer. 3. 1. Oh then though thou art in the belly of hell as it were yet cry unto the God of Mercy Though thou sayest thou art cast out of his sight yet look again toward his holy Temple And when thy soul faints within thee then remember the LORD and let thy prayer come in unto him into his holy Temple even Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily and who came into the world to save sinners sinners indefinitely and the chief and most notorious sinners Jonah 2. 2-4-7 8. with Col. 2. 9 10. and 1 Tim. 1. 13-15 And him that cometh unto him in this day of grace he will in no wise cast out what-ever he hath been or done Joh. 6. 37. Matth. 11. 27 28. 3. Let me proceed on and say Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die Why will we die May another generation say Why the pleasures of sin are so sweet and delightful to us that we know not how on that Account to turn from them Stollen waters are sweet and bread of secrecies is pleasant We cannot deny but that God calleth us to repentance and there-with inables us to turn from our iniquities But the ways of sin are so grateful and pleasing that it is as the cutting off our right hand or the plucking out of our right eye to bid adieu thereto and turn our backs thereon Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the Leopard his spots Then may we also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. Answ Now to this generation I might say many things but having much exceeded mine intention at first already shall therefore be the briefer and propound to these Objectors that saying of the Apostle Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end or reward of those things is death Here the Apostle propounds three weighty Considerations to take men off from their sinful courses namely They are unfruitful shameful and eternally hurtful and pernicious 1. What fruit had ye then Even when you did commit sin and were servants of it And so what fruit have you now therein who sow to the flesh and serve sin What fruit may you say We have said already Sin is most sweet and delightful to us Well but yet let me say to you 1. Though the ways of sin are delightful or as the Apostle expresses it though you count it pleasure to riot in the day-time 2 Pet. 2. 13. yet sin is not delightful and satisfactory to the whole man It may appear so to the Body and to the Bruitish and Sensual Appetite but not so to the Superiour Eaculties of the Soul which are not delighted with these low and carnal things 1 Joh. 2. 16. They will not satisfie mens souls for they are the stumbling-blocks of their iniquity Ezek. 7. 19. The most noble part of man as Psal 22. 20. is not delighted herewith but contrariwise sadned and filled with horror and dread thereby while mens Consciences are not so seared as to be past feeling and when they consider and lay these things to heart To this purpose speaks the holy Scripture Though wickedness saith Zophar be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still in the midst of his palate yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him That is Wickedness is the very quintessence of bitterness to his soul how sweet soever it be oâ— appear to be in his mouth Surely he shall not know or feel quietness in his belly to wit in the spirit of his mind Job 20. 12 13 14-20 The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor a sound of fears is in his ears In prosperity or peace the destroyer shall come upon him Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevail against him as a King ready to the battle because he stretcheth out his hand against God and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty Joh. 15. 20-25 c. And though such may appear very merry and jocund yet as the crackling of thorns under a pot so is the laughter of fools Eccl. 2. 2. and Chap. 7. 6. Nay even in their laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness however to the soul Their soul within them shall mourn Prov 14. 13. with Joh 14. 22. How oft do terrors make them afraid on every side and even drive them to their feet as Job 18. 11. and Ch. 20. 23-25 How doth their heart smite them 2 Sam. 24 10. And how are they pricked in their reins when God is reproving them and setting their sins in order before them Now how can any considerate and sober-minded person call or count that truly delightful which doth so wound