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STORAGE
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REFORMATION
AND
DESOLATION
OR,
A Sermon tending to the Diſcovery of
the Symptomes of a People to whom God
will by no meanes be reconciled.
Preached to the Honourable Houſe of Com-
mons at their late folemne Faft,
Decemb. 22. 1641.
By Stephen Marfball B. D. Miniſter of Finching-
field in ESSE X.
Publiſhed by order of that Houſe.
Zeph. 2.1, 2.
Gather your felves together, yea gather together O Nation
not deſired, before the decree bring forth.
LONDON,
Printed for SAMUEL GEL LIBRAND, at
the Brafen Serpent in Pauls Church-
yard, 1642.
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To the Honourable Houſe of Com
mons, now affembled in Parliament.
pleafed this Honourable Affembly to re-
quire my service in preaching at the late
folemne and religious afflicting your foules
before the Lord, to which not only my duty
but experience of your former acceptance
of my endeavours, made me yeeld a ready
obedience. But although I knew your goodneſſe would beare
with that weakneſſe which would be discovered in speaking
to fo grave and judicious an auditory; jet could Inot ex-
pect to receive fo large a testimony, not only of your accepta-
tion, but thanks, as I and my Colleague have done, much
leffe that you should fo exprefly fena to have them publiſhed
because now what blame ſhall be cast upon my infufficiency
in bandling and proſecuting ſuch a ſubject, must in ſome
Sort reflect upon your felves. For my felfe I answer all ob-
jections against my ſending them abroad, with this, that
they are yours, and it is fit for me to yeeld unto your dif
pofing of them.
For the maine leffon handled, the Lord grant that our
Seeking him while hee may be found, may prevent us from
being a further proofe of it to other Nations and fucceeding
generations.
And to this end, the fame Lord guide and bleffe unto
A 2
215,
417410
The Epiftle Dedicatory.
you
have
us, and reward into jour own bofomes, and your pofterities,
all the many, long, and unwearied labours which
undergone, and still continue in for the glory of his name,
the reformation of his Church, the honour of his Majesty,
the peace and prosperity of the whole Realme. This is fo
generally defired and fought for at Gods hands, that I hope
the God who beareth prayers, will not leave the happineffe
imperfect, which he ſeemes to have prepared by your meanes,
nor deprive us of the good which you are working. To his
wifedome, protection, mercy, and grace, be leaves you, whe
is your daily Remembrancer at the Trone of Grace,
STEPHEN MARSHALL.
I
153
A SERMON PREACHED
at the late Faft,before the COMMONS
Houfe of PARLIAMENT.
2 KINGS 23. 26. Read alfo Verf. 25.
And like unto him (that is,King Zofiah) there was no King
before him that turned to the Lord with all the beart, and
with all his foule, and with all his might according to all
the Law of Mofes; neither afterwards, arofe any like
unto him.
Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſſe
of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled
against Judah, because of all the provocations that Ma-
naffeh had provoked him withall.
His King Jofiah (Right Honourable Introdu
and beloved) may most truly bee &tion.
counted,not onely one of the Wor-
thies of the world, but alſo one of
the worlds wonders: There is hardly
any thing recorded of him but what
is wonderfull, his very birth was
wonderfull, he being prophefied of by name about three
hundred and fifty yeares before hee was borne: And ¤ Kingšt.
B
there. *0.
2
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Яion.
Introdu. therein fore-promifed to doe thofe great things which
he effected against Idolaters, and the reliques of Ido-
latry. And it was wonderfull to think in what a def-
perate condition, and time of the Church he was born,
in the darkeſt midnight of apoftafie,when the ten Tribes
were carried away captive, and Iudah and Benjamin
onely left, and they (as farre as the eye of man could
fee) wholly and generally fallen from the Lord their
God to all manner of Idols and Idolatries; when the
2 Chr. 33. Very Temple of God was made a denne of Idols, nay,
his Altarthe onely Altar of Ifrael deſtroyed, to make
roome for Altars erected to Idols: When the true
Church had hardly any viſible being upon the face of
the earth; yea, I am perfwaded that in the darkeſt times
of Antichriftianity, the true Church of Chrift was ne-
ver more invifible, then it was about that time when Io-
fiah was born. And it was another wonder, that in ſuch a
ftrong faction as Idolatry then had, that any could poſ
fibly fo prevaile in the Court as to give ſuch education
to the young Prince: Nor is it leffe wonderfull that by
that time he was but fixteen yeares old, hee ſtood out a
2 Cl ro. perfect godly man,undertaking the caufe of God,and the
reformation of Religion, and that with fuch a perfect
heart to make the moſt compleat and abſolute reforma-
tion of the Church that ever was wrought by any mor
tall man fince God had a Church on earth.But the fuc-
ceffe of his labours ſeems to me the most wonderfull of
all the reft, whether you look upon the fucceffe it had
with the people, or the fucceffe it had with God.
34.3.
The fucceffe with the people was this, that although
at Zofiabs firſt appearing as a right Orient,and illuftrious
Starre in a dark night,there was hardly any vifible wor
ſhip
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5:3
3
Aion.
ſhip or worshipper to be found; yet he carried all be- Introdu
fore him like a torrent,and walked like a man of fire,(as
his name fignifies the fire of the Lord)and brought the
whole Nation fo about,that there was fcarce ever fuch a
Covenant made as he procured, and that not by a pre-
vailing party, but the univerfality of his Kingdome
joyned with him in it, and continued in it, and held
cloſe to it all the time that Zofiah lived in the world. & Chr. 24-
This was the fucceffe that hee found among the 31. 32. 33.
people.
But now the fucceffe that all this found with God is
yet more wonderfull, and this my Text will tell you of,
viz. That notwithstanding fuch a rare man was thus
wonderfully ſtirred up, thus miraculouſly carried on
with ſuch a perfe&theart, with fuch an unanimous con-
fent of his people, to ſet upon the work of reforming
Religion; and did it ſo as never mortall man did the like
before, nor any arofe afterward like unto him; yet not-
withſtanding all this the Lord turned not away from the
fierceneffe of his great wrath,c.
of the
And ſo now you fee my Text is a deſcription of the The scope
altogether hopeleffe and helpleffe condition of the Text and
Church of the Jewes,though there was a Phyfitian rifen parts of it.
up who had found out the most pretious balm that ever
was,and faithfully applyed it, yet the hurt of Gods peo-
ple could receive no cure, but they muft die for it.
And this may be reduced to theſe two heads.
Firſt, you have their miferable and forlorne eſtate in
theſe words, (Notwithstanding the Lord tarned not from
the fierceneſſe of his great wrath which was kindled againſt
Iudah.)
Secondly, you have the cauſe of all this, what it was
B 2
that
4
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Яion.
Introdu- that made God irreconciliably and inexorably fet a-
gainſt them in theſe words: Becauſe of all the provocati-
ons wherewith Manaffes had provoked him; though he
were dead between thirty and forty yeares before Zofiah
ended his dayes, yet his provocations were the cauſe
that God would never be reconciled to his people,
though he was reconciled to Manaffes perfon before
he dyed. I purpoſe not any exact or large handling of
this Text, nor is it poffible to be done in one Sermon:
I fhall onely cull out fuch things as are moſt intended
by the holy Ghoft, and moſt ſutable to the occafion of
Obferva- our meeting.
tion from
nexion.
And firft, let us in a few words confider it in relation
the con- to the former Verfe, and ſecondly,as it lies in it felfe.
As it ſtands in relation to the former defcription made
of lofiak,and the high praiſes which God there beftowes
upon him, I thence obferve, That when God raises up
any excellent inſtruments to appear in his cauſe,they are moſt
graciously accepted with him, though their endeavours ſhould
come to nothing: There ſhall be glory,and honour, and
immortality, and eternall life to themfelves, though
there be indignation,and wrath,tribulation, anguiſh and
woe, upon the people whom they would willingly doe
good unto. This you fee plainly in this Text, Iofiah
fets up a building which was inftantly thrown downe
ſtick and ſtone, yet never man received better wages and
greater reward than hee did. God hath raiſed up many
inftruments to do him fervice who have had admirable
fucceffe in their way. Mofes brought Gods people out
of the bondage of Egypt, carried them through a defo-
late, waftefull, howling wilderneffe, and that miracu-
loudly for forty yeares together: Iofbua gave them the
Deut. 29.
5.
lofh.23.4.
5.
A
poffeffion
before the Commons House of Parliament.
553
poffeffion of the promiſed land, and left them in it in
peace. David fubdued all their enemies about them un-
till they were all put under the foles of their feet, leaving
them neither adverſary nor evill occurrent. Solomon built
Gods Temple, and eſtabliſhed the Church in the pu-
rity of Gods Worſhip and Ordinances, and the Com-
mon-wealth with admirable peace and profperiry; yet,
not any of theſe more magnified by the Lord than
Iofiah, whoſe work came to nothing. This is my first
obfervation; and it hath these two branches, firſt it im-
plies that the endevours of rare Inftruments may come to
nothing, that men may bee ftirred up with admirable
fpirits to attempt great things for God, and yet their
work mifcarry.
Secondly, that though their work come to nothing, yet
themſelves fhall be highly magnified with the Lord.
*
King.5-3.4.
In two
branches.
ftruments
may come
to
thing.
LO-
I could eafily give abundant teftimonies and in- 1 Branch,
ſtances of ſuch whom God hath raiſed up with extra- The en-
ordinary ſpirits; men that we might think had been fit deavours
to carry the world before them,who have effected little of rare in-
or nothing : Elias for one, a man (as it were) made of
fire, who at one time called a Parliament of the King,
and all the Heads of Ifrael together, convinced them of
their halting between God and Baal, and wrought fo at
the prefent, that all the people cryed out the Lord is 2 King 18,.
God, and feemed to have their hearts brought back again 19.
to the Lord their God; and likewiſe that eight hundred
Idolatrous Prieſts and falſe Prophets were put to the
fword ; yet the very next day, hee was faine to run away
to fave his life, undertaking a journey of forty dayes to
keep himſelfe from the fury of Iezabel. Ieremy was
another rare man, one of the moſt, zealous Inſtruments
В 3.
that
6
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Ier.20.9
that ever God employed,infomuch that he ſaid of him-
Ir.15.10. felfe that he was a man of contention to all the earth,
and Gods word was in him like fire in his bones which
he could not keep in; yet this man in his almoſt forty
years preaching, could neither prevaile with King nor
Princes, Prophets, Priefts, nor People, all grew worſe
and worſe, and himſelfe in the end was carried away by
a rebellious company into that accurſed land of Egypt,
and there died.
See to this
And it hath been often obferved, that the Lord hath
purpoſe, feene it fit for reaſons beſt known to himfelfe, to let a-
Matth. 23. bundance of the Worthies whom hee hath employed
A&.7.52. even (fo far as men could judge) to periſh in the work
Heb. II. he hath fet them about.
34.37.
37.38.
Second
Branch.
felves
But fecondly, what ever their facceffe hath been a-
mongft men, they have been never a whit leffe regarded,
Yet them or rewarded by the Lord;for this the Scripture is plain,
Efay 49. 5. There the Prophet in Chriſts name, and
highly in his own name, and in the name of all Gods inftru-
and re- ments, concludes, That though they spend their strength
warded by for nought, and in vaine; yet furely their work is with the
magnified
God.
Lord and though the people be not gathered, yet they shall bee
glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and their God will be their
Strength. And Paul faith,2 Cor.2.15. We are a sweet fa-
vour to God in them that perish, as well as in them that are
Saved.
And there is plain reafon for it,becaufe fincere endea-
vours to doe Gods fervice is our whole work, but the
fucceffe of theſe endeavours is Gods work. Now the
Lord hath tied himſelf in his covenant to reward every
man according to his own work, and not according to
the work of another: God never required at the hands
of
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
З
7
5:3
Ι
of any Miniſter to fave foules, or at the hand of any
Magiftrate to preferve a Nation,of any Husbandman to
produce a crop out of the ground, &c. this belongs on-
ly to himfelfe; he only requires at their hands to bee
his fervants,to obey his will; wherein if they be faith- Efay 49.
full,they ſhall not miffe of their reward. God compares 2.3.
I Thef.1.7
Kings and Princes, and other of his fervants, to nurfing
fathers,and nurfing mothers: Now you that are perfons
of quality, if you put forth a childe to nurſe, and can
have perfect information that the nurſe loves, attends,
fuckles your childe, and performes all the duties be-
longing to a nurfing mother; this nurfe, I fay, is by
you efteemed and rewarded, whether the childe live or
die: yea, it may be the more when the childe dies, be-
cauſe you fee her afflicted in lofing your childe which
fhe would gladly have enjoyed.
on to the
I doe but name this, you are wife to apply it to your
Applicati
felves, you (Right honourable and beloved) are em- Parlia
ployed in great fervices, God hath raiſed you up to ment.
attempt glorious things for his name, for the purging
of his houfe, and the eſtabliſhing of this great people
in the peace of the Gospel: how farre God will uſe any
of you,
I cannot tell; and how farre this unworthy
Nation will acknowledge your indefatigable paines, I
cannot tell.; as yet you have the prayers and bleffings
of all forts of people, high and low, rich and poore,
that wish well to Sion. But however goe on, yee Wor-
thies of the Lord, with fincere hearts to doe what God
requires at your hands; and whether this Nation bee
gathered or not, you shall bee glorious in the eyes of
God, and the Lord will be your ftrength. Iofiah you fee
had the greateſt commendation of all others, notwith-
ſtanding
8
་
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Dof.1.
Doc, 2.
Doût, 3.
ſtanding the Lord turned not from his fierce wrath:
and this is all I have to ſay from the connexion of the
words, that God magnified Iofiah, though his work
came to nothing.
Now let us confider them in themſelves, where I
fhall not need before fo grave and intelligent Affem-
bly, to waſte the time in analyfing or giving the gram-
maticall interpretation of fo plaine and eafie a Text,
I ſhall only take up three doctrinall obfervations (which
you will fee to lie clearly in the words) and handle
them as the Lord fhall pleaſe to enable me,and the time
permit; whereof the firſt is,
That Gods wrath is a most fearfull and dreadfull thing
when it is once throughly kindled.
The fecond and maine doctrine is, That the fins of a
Church and people may come to that heighth, and Gods
wrath may bee kindled to that heat, notwithstanding
their reformation, God will inexorably goe on to a defola-
tion. Notwithſtanding all that Jofiah did, the Lord
turned not from his fierce wrath.
The third is, this being done for Manaſſehs provo-
cations, I obferve, That the fins of one generation may be
the ground and cause of the deftruction and ruine of the
Succeeding generation. The abominations that Manaffes
committed and commanded in his time
> were the
cauſe why God was unappeafably bent to the deftructi-
First Do- on of the generation that lived after him.
from the I begin with the firſt, That the wrath of God, when it
Text, that is greatly kindled is extreame fierce,or it is a moſt dread-
the wrath full thing to bee under Gods wrath, when it is once
exceeding kindled. Mark how the words here are eg'd, how
fierce. wonderfully emphaticall, how dreadfully expreffed.
arine
of God is
God
14
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
9
God turned not from the fiercenesse of his great wrath,
wherewith his anger was kindled. David faith, if his Pfal. z.
wrath be kindled but a little, bleffed are they that truft
in him, implying their mifery that be under it; but
when there is the fierceneffe of his great wrath, they are
miferable indeed who are under that.
5.3
In clearing of this, I ſhall firft briefly difcuffe two or Explain it.
three questions, and then endeavour (as the Lord ſhall
help me) to fet it home to you in an application.
What the
what the wrath of God is? what is the wrath of God, Que
of which the Scripture fpeaks fo often, and fuch dread- wrath of
full things?
God is.
In men we uſe to ſay, that anger or wrath is pertur- Anfa•
batio concitati animi, the perturbation of a troubled
fpirit; but in God it is tranquilla conftitutio jufti fup-
plicii, a calme and quiet appointment of juſt puniſh-
ment. Plainly, wrath or anger in God is never attri-
buted to him, in regard of any troubleſome passion, or
affection; but only in refpect of the effect. I fay, that
wrath or anger is attributed to God, not fecundum per-
turbationis affectum,but fecundum ultionis effe&tum. In a
word then, Gods wrath is nothing but his revenging
justice; which juſtice of God, as it fimply burnes againſt
finne, the Scripture calls his anger: when it doth more
fiercely excandefcere,or fparkle out,it is called his wrath:
the fame justice, when it pronounceth fentence, is called
his judgement; when it is brought into execution, it is
called his vengeance: fo that wrath, anger, judgement,
and vengeance in God are all one: Gods wrath is his
revenging justice, and when I fay, his wrath (when
greatly kindled) is exceeding fierce, I meane it
is a dreadfull, horrid, and fearefull thing to fall
C
under
IO
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
The fierce- under the dint of Gods revenging juftice.
neſſe of
Gods wrath
Quelt. z.
The force-
How may the fierceneffe of Gods wrath appeare ?
I anfwer briefly, it is impoffible for any tongue to
Anfo. fet it forth. Mofes tells us, no man knowes the power of
Pfal.90.11 Gods wrath: God is not eaſily provoked, hee is flow
neffe of it to wrath: his wrath is as a great Bell long raifing, but
illuftrated when it is once up, makes fuch a dreadfull found, as no
vers com. tongue can expreffe. Many a poore foule feeles a
par fons. great deale of it, whole Nations have laine under it;
from di-
but never was any creature able to fay what the power
of Gods fierce wrath is. But if you will give your re-
verent attention one quarter of an houre, I fhall (God
willing) out of the holy Scriptures open fomething,
which may in fome degree make you conceive, how
fearfull the wrath of God is, when it is once kindled.
And doe not think that I ſhall ſpeak of what concerns
ſtrangers, and not your felves; for I greatly feare, that
before we part, it will be too evident, that this fierce
wrath is kindled againſt ſome of our owne foules who
are here prefent. Indeed your calling and meeting
this day for humiliation, fafting, and prayer, feemes to
tell all the world, that you beleeve that Gods wrath is
kindled ; and therefore being kindled, it is fit you
fhould know what kinde of flame it is.
Firſt, Confider by what dreadfull comparifons the
holy Ghoſt uſeth to fet out the fierceneſle of Gods
Amos 3.4. wrath. As the roaring of a Lyon: the Lyon hath roared,
who will not tremble ? the Lord hath uttered his voice,
Pfal. 18. who will not fear? To a terrible earth quake, that makes
the foundation of the hills to quake and tremble. But
moſt uſually it is fet out by devouring fire, the moſt
terrible of all the creatures which Gods hand hath
7.8.
made::
f
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5.3
II
Pfal. 19.11.
made: and mark what kind of fire it is: Sometimes it is The fierce-
neffe of
compared to a ſhower of fire; God raines downe upon Gods wrath
the wicked fire and brimstone and horrible tempeft: rain-
ing downe of fnares, and fire, and brimſtone, is a horri-
bletempeft indeed. If any mortall man had ſtood with
Abraham, and feene the Lord raining downe flakes of Gen. 16.24
fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah,hee would
have thought it an horrible tempeft. Yea it is com-
pared to a lake or river of fire, Efai.30. ult. The breath
of the Lord (fpeaking of Tophet) like a river of fire
and brimstone kindles it. Imagine the anger of the Lord
thus fet out, as if from Gods noftrils, and out of his
mouth ſhould come huge lakes or floods of fire and brim-
ftone, ftreaming out upon the people with whom hee
is angry: What dreadfull things are theſe? Yet fur-
ther, Gods wrath is fet out to bee fuch a fire as is alto-
gether irresistible; fo that the poore creatures on whom
it falls, cannot poffibly fand before it: and therefore
uſually when God is faid to arife in wrath and fury, the
people,that bee the veffels of this wrath, are faid to bee
wax, and ſtraw, and ftubble, dry leaves, and rotten hedges;
and what are thefe to ftand before huge ftormes and
floods, lakes of fire and brimfone?
And as it is irresistible, ſo it is intolerable; which is
uſually ſet out by weeping and wailing, and gnaſhing of
teeth.
And lastly, Such a fire, when once throughly kind-
led, can never be quenched. There bee two expreffions
(among many others) in the Scripture, which bee very
dreadfull, to this purpoſe: The one is Deuter. 32. 26.
Where the Lord faith, that a fire is kindled in his anger;
and mark what a fire it is, it ſhall burne to the loweſt hell,
C 2
and
>
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
12
The fierce- and fball confume the earth with her encreaſe, and fet on
neffe of
Gods wrath fire the foundations of the Mountaines. Such a fire as when
once kindled burnes up Mountaines, earth, and world,
and all, and never refts till it abide in hell, where there
is no bottome, and there it burnes for ever. The other
is in Nahum 1. where Gods fury and fierce anger is
compared to fire which throwes down rocks, licks up the
fea, burnes up the forrefis, melts and burnes the earth and
world, and all that dwells therein. Certainly, that muſt
needs be a dreadfull and horrid thing which the Spirit
of God thus deſcribes.´
2
fects of it.
Secondly, Confider fome of the effects of Godswrath,
By the ef- and then you will conceive in fome meaſure what it is.
The throwing of many millions of Angels out of hea-
ven into the loweſt hell, was nothing but the effect of
Gods wrath. The opening the flood-gate of all fin and
mifery upon all mankind, was nothing but an effect of
Gods wrath. The deluge that over-whelmed all the
world, all the plagues of Egypt, burning of Sodom, the
earths opening and fwallowing up Korah and his com-
pany, all the famine, peftilence, blood, that ever the
world lay under, are but fo many effects of Gods wrath.
Nay, the dreadfull appearance at the laft day, when the
Potentates and Princes of the world will bee humble
Suiters to the bills and mountaines to fall on them,will
bee nothing but an effect of the Lords comming in
wrath, to render vengeance to his enemies. Yea, to be
thrown to all eternity into the pit of hell y into utter
darkneſſe, into the fire that never is quencbed, and a-
mong wormes that ſhall never ceafe gnawing, all thefe
are nothing but to be under the wrath of Gad. But above
all these, and if ten thousand more could bee named
>
that
before the Commons House of Parliament.
13 S.3
neſſe of
that one effect of it, in the Lords powring out his viall The fierce-
of his revenging juftice upon the body and foule ofour Gods wrath
bleffed Lord and Saviour Ïeſus Chriſt, is moſt ableto in-
forme us, how great and fierce the wrath of God is: that
when he had but one Son who was his fellow ( as the Pro-
phet faith, Awake ſword, and fmite the man that is my fel- Zach.13.7
low;) yet this revenging juftice being powred out upon
him, made him (who in his perſon was no other than
God himſelf,yet in his humane nature)when this Cup
was put into his hand, yea the very first taste of it, made
him ſweat drops of blood trickling down to the ground, in a
cold winters night; and when he had drunk it off, it
made him cry out in the anguifh of his foule, My God,
My God, why hast thou forfaken me? Theſe effects may
helpe us to conceive what a dreadfull thing it is to wre-
ftle with the wrath of God.
Luk. 22.44.
3
From the
But thirdly, Were I able to open the thing it felfe,
and let you fee it in the causes, you would inftantly con- caufe of it
clude, that it is beyond all apprehenfion. Conceive it
thus, The revenging juftice of God is Gods opposing him-
Selfe against the creature; When God takes his crea-
ture into his hand, and by his almighty power upholds
the being of it, that it may feele what the Lord Jeho-
vah can doe upon it, and againft it; This no living crea-
ture can conceive. When God hath only hid him-
felfe from his dearest frends, this very hiding of him-
felfe hath been fo dreadfull, that it hath made them goe
roaring all the day long, dryed up their moisture, made
their lives uncomfortable, and a burden to themſelves,
turned all other comforts into gall and worm-wood.
Now if onely an Eclipse of his loving countenance bee
thus intolerable, what is it for God to fall upon acrea-
C 3.
ture
14
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
The fierce ture as his enemy? When a poore worme muſt not on-
ncje of
Gods wrath ly ftand under the weight of a huge rock falling upon it,
but ofan almighty God. You that have large thoughts
may now ea fily conceive what a fearefull thing the
wrath of God is.
Quest. 3.
The third Queſtion is; Against whom is this wrath
Who are of God thus kindled?
jcets of
of God.
27.
Pfa. 19.32.
the ob- I Anſwer; Firſt, Gods wrath may be kindled mildly
this wrath and gently againſt his owne deare children, when they
walke not faithfully in his Covenant, when they lay
Answ. afide their filiall obedience, when they give occafion
Deut.4.21. to his enemies to blafpheme his Name: though hee
2 Sam. 11. will not fuffer all his indignation to ariſe, yet his fa-
therly diſpleaſure may bee kindled againſt them. And
even this fatherly wrath, this gentle wrath, (if it bee
not a contradiction to call it fo) theſe ſmall drops of
his diſpleaſure, are more unfupportable to them than
all the miſeries of the world: Yea, they could more
willingly ſubmit to the torments in hell (provided
that Gods countenance did but fhine upon them) than
to undergoe that which this wrath of God ſometmies
diftills upon them: And yet all this while wee may tru-
ly ſay of them, they are children under wrath, but not
the children of wrath; not the people of his wrath, not
the veffels of his wrath.
Col. 3.6.
But if you will know, Secondly, What are the peo-
ple againſt whom God hath indignation for ever; the
Scripture tells it you in this expreffion ordinarily; they
are the children of Belial; fo they are uſually called in
the Old Teſtament; that is, fuch as will not beare
Gods yoke; mafter-leffe children, yoke-leffe children:
And in the New Teftament, they are called children of
difobedience;
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5:3
15
difobedience; as the Apoſtle, For which things fake the The fierce-
wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience.
Now who theſe children of Belial,and of diſobedience
are, I muft a little explaine to you, and then the Ap-
plication will bee eafie. I fay therefore that thefe chil-
dren that will not carry the yoke, are, Firſt, all unbelee-
vers. I doe not meane Negative unbeleevers, that is,
thoſe that doe not beleeve in Chrift, becauſe they never
heard of him; but Pofitive unbeleevers, who have had
the glorious light of the Gofpel fhining to them, to
whom the Lord Iefus hath been freely offered, as a Savi-
our to deliver them from wrath to come; and yet they
refuſe to come in, and to accept of him, as hee offers
himfelfe in his Gofpel; becauſe they doe not like to take
him upon fuch hard termes : you may be fure the wrath
ofGod reſts upon thefe men. Turne but to John 3.
Hee that beleeves in Chrift fhall be faved, hee that be-
leeves not is a damned man: and how? the wrath of God
abides on him. Mark that expreffion, abides on him: The
wrath of God takes up, as it were, his habitation in an
unbeleever. So that what Gods grace fometimes faid
of Solomons Temple, Here will I dwell, for I have a delight
in it: So the wrath of God feemes to fay of an unbe-
leever, Here I will dwell, here I will abide for ever.
ult.
Secondly,The children of difobedience and fonnes
of Belial, are fuch, whoſe lives and converfations are
contrary to the rules of the Gofpel; who as they will
not take Chrift to be their portion by faith, fo they will
not take Chriſts word in the Goſpel to be their guide;
but they will live indeed without all yoke, doing what
is good in their owne eyes; theſe are the fonnes of Be-
lial. You may fee a notable defcription of them in the
prophefie ofZacharie, cb.7.v.!! where the wilfull dif-
obedience,
11
nesse of
Gods wrath
16
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Gods wrath
"The fierce- obedience, obftinate ſtubbornneſſe and intra&ableneffe
neſſe
neffe oft is expreffed by divers fimilitudes, all tending to the fame
purpoſe. They refuse to hearken,ftop their eares, as not wil-
ling to hear Gods counfel,they pulled away the shoulder,
as an Ox or Bullock that fhrinks back from the yoak, or
as one that ſhould carry a burthen, pulls away his fhoul-
der,when he ſhould take it,and lets it fall: fo theſe deale
with the eafie yoak,and the light burthen ofGods com-
mandements. Yea, they make their hearts as an Adamant
Stone; there is in them a ſtiffe and wilfull reſolution to
fin,whereby their hearts are as intractable to any good-
neffe, as the hardeſt ſort of ſtones, Flints, or Diamonds
are to be wrought by the toole into any fashion we de-
fire: when you have faid all you can againſt their wan-
tonneffe,uncleanneffe, prophannefs, pride, covetoufneſs,
Scc.you prevaile no more than when an hammer ftrikes
upon an anvile: Their hearts can eaſily reject all, yee
cannot beat a ſplinter off from them: then immediate-
ly it followes in the next verfe, Therefore there came a
great wrath from the Lordof Hoftes. Thefe are the fons
of Belial, thefe are the veffels of Gods wrath.
1
delivi-
Now to apply this to our felves, it might firſt teach
Applicar.
To praife all who are reconciled to God by Christ,what infinite
God for cauſe they have every day of their life, to bleffe that
grace of God, which hath not appointed them unto
wrath, but by the blood of his own Sonne, hath deli-
vered them from wrath to come, and provided for them
everlaſting glory and happineffe.
rance
from it.
2
Not to
envie the
Secondly, it may likewife teach all that feare God
never to envie the profperous eftate of any child of
profperity Belial, though waters of a full cup be wrung out for
of fuch as them, though they fwim in wealth and hot our, and
it. pomp in this world, and have all their hearts can de-
are under
fire,
151
before the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
17
Gods wrath
fire, and in the meane time account it their glory that The fierce-
they carry not the Lords yoak, never envie their lot. If nelle of
any here knew of half a ſcore good fellowes fet at a ban-
quet of wine, furniſhed with all the helps of mirth and
jollity, if hee knew withall, that the fhot to be payd
for it, muſt be every mans heart blood, he would be loath
to be one of the pack with them. I confeffe it is hard
not to be troubled at the proſperity of wicked men :
even David and Ieremy found it a hard thing not to en- Pfal. 73. 3-
vie their profperity. But ftay till the ſhot be paid, en- Ier. 12.1.
quire how able they will be to undergoe the wrath of
God, enter into the Sanctuary,understand their end, and
thy envie will be at an end, but theſe I intended not to
infift upon.
3
forward
our repen
tance.
There is one only proper ufe for the prefent occafi-
on, and that is this, you are met this day together to To help
Faft and Pray and mourne before the Lord; and (as I
touched before) hereby you acknowledge that the wrath
of God is kindled, and that your felves are called to
take a courſe to turn away Gods wrath and I verily
believe this is the very end you aymed at, in calling
us the unworthy Minifters of Chrift to your help this
day, that wee might bee affiftant to you in whatever
might turn away the wrath of God from you. Now two
things were at large preffed upon you in the morning,
as well befitting the work of this day. The one was to
rent,and break, and teare every one of your hearts in the
fenfe of your fins, kindly and throughly to humble you
in the fight of God. The other was to provoke you toļa
ftrong refolution to leave the waies of fin in timeto come.
In which two things,humiliation and Reformation, ftands
the very life of unfained repentance, and the fpirituall
part of a Religious Faft; without which all our ab-
D
ftinence
5:3
18
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
ne
The fierce- ftinence and fackcloth, and bodily exerciſes in watch-
Gods wrath ing, hearing &c. are meere abominations in the fight
of God. I rejoyce that you had the fe things fet fo
home in the morning,fome of my work being thereby
In humil- fpared. But the bringing this leffon home, if God fet
ation for it on to your hearts, may help to faften the counſell
hath kind- given you in the morning, as a nayle in a fure place.
fin, which
led it.
I fhall endeavour to further your humiliation and re-
formation from the meditation of the fearefulneſſe and
dreadfulneffe of the wrath of God.
I must therefore entreat you all, (Honourable and
beloved) fince you have vouchfafed to call for the la-
bour of a poore man to help you, let me be as free with
you,as if you were ſo many meane people: my duty this
I.3.18 day is to doe that which Ieremy did: God calls him in
a mourning time,and faith, Goe to the King and Queen,
and fay come yee down, fit in the duſt, humble your ſelves :
So I fay to you, come down, forget that any of you.
are Earles or Lords, Knights, or Gentlemen, lay for a
while theſe thoughts afide; and give me leave to aske
you two or three Queſtions, and be fo faithfull to your
own foules as to think how you can anſwer them be-
fore the Lord. Are yee nor children of Belial? (that is
the very thing which you muſt anſwer in your own
bofome) that is, are there not among ft you fuch as
refuse to carry the joke of Christ? who will not take
Chrift to be your Saviour as he offers himfelfe to you
in his Goſpel? you will have him upon other termes
than to make him your King, Prophet, and Priest; you
would have him to deliver you from hell, but hee fhall
not be your Lord, fo, as for you to refign up your
felves to him, as a "dutifull wife refignes up her felfe to
her husband. And for your conversations, you will doe
what
<
153
"
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
19
Godswrath
what is good in your own fight; if you have a minde The fierce-
to fweare, you will fweare, you will lie, be uncleane,dif- neſe of
femble, theſe things pleaſe you well and you will doe
them. Now hear what I fay,what thy outward quality or
condition is, I know not but this I know,perfons of your
quality do not ufe much to be ſcared; men are affraid to
ſpeak any thing that may make you tremble: but you
muſt be ſcared,or we ſhall doe no good to you. You are
now called to have your hearts rent, I have that to ſay,
might rent the very cawle of your heart, even this, Oh
thou miferable and wretched worme! great is the wrath
of God that is kindled against thee. This terrible Lyon
roares against thee, a dreadfull fire is kindled, a horrible
tempeft is ready to fall upon thy head, fhowers and
floods of fire and brimstone are even ready to be poured
out upon thee: how art thou able to live with everlasting
burnings? how wilt thou dwell with devouring fire? Thou
that art cruſhed before a moth, how can thy heart endure,
or thy hands be strong in the day that God ſhall deale with
thee? Thou that dar'ft not think of lying one day upon
a wrack, that canft not endure for two or three dayes to
be wrung with the cholick, that art not able to beare the
thoughts of lying under the tearing of a Quartane
Ague from Michaelmas to Eafter; how wilt thou bee
able to ſtand under the fall of fuch a huge rock as the
wrath of the Almighty God, which every moment is
ready to break down upon thee? How wilt thou doe
when theſe rivers of fire and brimſtone ſhall be poured
out upon thee? and thou no more able to ftand be-
fore them, then a few dry leaves are able to reſiſt the
huge breaking in of many waters? Oh beloved, would
you with due care apply theſe things to your own hearts,
and preſent them to your foules as things prefent,
D 2
how
-S:3
20
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
The fierce- how would they bring down the moſt ſtubborn ſpirit!
neffe of how would they help to break the hardest of your hearts
before the Lord!
Gods wrath
may bee
done.
But there are two things which keep moſt people
How this from being affected with them. The firft is, Thefe things
are looked upon as things afarre off: Now it is a rule in
Opticks, That things farre off, though they be marvellous
great, yet feeme very little:a Starre that is bigger than all
the earth, feemes no bigger than a candle being many
miles diſtant from us. So while men look at the wrath
Ezek,12 of God, as they did at the Prophets Viſion, The Vision
27.
that he fees is for many dayes to come, and he prophefies of
the times that are farre off: and put the evill day from
them: All theſe threatnings are but light matters. Se-
condly,it fares with moſt men in this point,as with ſome
men that have ſhrewiſh wives; though their bufineffe
lie within doores, yet they have no heart to bee there
for feare of chiding: So though it be the moſt neceffa-
ry work to think of theſe things; yet becauſe their
unquiet conſciences upon the leaft ſerious meditation,
are ready to gnaw and teare them, and make them fleep
uncomfortably, they labour to drive off the thought of
this thing as farre as they can, and will not think of
Gods wrath due to finne, from yeares end to yeares end.
Whereas if men would bring it in rem præfentem, and
keep their eyes open to behold it,as a thing which una-
voydably will come upon them, how admirably would it
work upon mens hearts!
To this end, let me tell you a ſtory which I have of
ten read to this purpofe. It is reported of a certaine
Chriftian King of Hungary, who being on a time mar-
vellous fad and heavie, his brother that was a refolute
Courtier would needs know what he ailed; Oh brother,
(faith
>
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5:3
21
(faith he,) I have been a great finner againſt God, and The fierce-
neſſe of)
I know not how I fhall appeare before him, when hee Gods wrath
comes to judgement: Theſe are(faid his brother) melan-
choly thoughts, and makes a toy of them, as Gallants
ufe to doe: The King replyes nothing for the prefent;
but the custome of that Countrey was, that if the Exe-
cutioner of juſtice came and founded a Trumpet before
any mans doore, the man was prefent ly to be led to ex-
ecution: the King in the dead time of the night fends
his Deaths-man,and cauſeth him to found his Trumpet
before his brothers doore, who hearing and feeing the
meffenger of death, fprings in pale and trembling into
his brothers prefence,and befeeches the King to let him
know wherein hee had offended. O Brother, replyes
the King, thou haft loved me, and never offended me,
and is the fight of my Executioner fo dreadfull to thee;
and ſhall not I, fo great a finner, feare to be brought to
judgment before Jefus Chrift? If we would thus fup-
pofe with Hierom,that we heard this Trumpet founding,
Ariſe ye dead,and come to judgement, it would work to the
purpoſe: O ſet your felves therefore in Gods pre-
fence, and behold the Lord fhaking his lap, (as Nehe-
miah when he ſhook his lap, and faid, fo God thake Neh.5.15.
out every man from his houfe :) Thus will I shake in-
to eternall deſtruction all the children of Belial, and
then evidence bee brought in againſt thee, (how great
foever thou art amongſt men) that thou haft a huge
pile of fin heaped up againſt God, and ftill haft gone on
to adde drunkenneffe to thirft, oppofing God, his
wayes, and his caufe, refufing grace offered freely, not
willing to bee at peace with God, while thou haft any
meanes to fight against him: when all theſe things
fhall be laid open before thee, and (as thy juſt reward)
D 3.
God
22
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
1
I de fierce God ftrike thee a full blow, and finke thee to the bot-
i.cffe of
God's wrath tome of hell, where thou fhalt with that thou hadst
been a toad, or (as one in defperation fometimes
wifhed) that thou mightft live there a thouſand yeers,
fo thou mightft have any hope in the end, that the
wrath of God might ceafe towards thee. Would not
theſe things then work upon thee? Couldst thou then
paffe fuch a day as this, without trembling? Couldft
thou be before the Lord, and not have thy heart rent
and torn? Be perfwaded therefore once more to bring
it home to thy own foule, and fay, as he faid of his
green fig, this grew in Carthage yeſterday': This wrath,
this fea of mifery may break in upon me the next mo-
ment: I am yet joviall and merry, but Gods venge-
ance with woollen feet followes me cloſe at the back,
and will overtake me; if I cannot mourn at the hea-
ring of wrath, I must burn at the feeling of it. The
good Lord melt our hearts with the feare of theſe
things, left we be ſwallowed up in them.
Rarò ante-
cedentem
fceleftum
deferuit
pede poena
claudo,
Horace.
2
Meditati-
on
And then for the fecond part, for your Reformaiton,
ForRefor would the Lord make this day, a day of Reformation to
mation, this honourable Affembly, what glorious things would
be done by you! Now what more effectuall motive,what
of Furies whip would more reftraine from the practiſe of
wrath how finne, or more drive to feek a fhelter under the wing of
it may Chrift, and to get into the fafe condition of the fervants
of God, than the beholding of this devouring fire,
theſe everlaſting burnings, which finfull men will never
bee able to abide? I know fuch is the depravation of
mans nature, that if there were any poffibility of
avoiding Gods wrath without leaving their finnes
many men would refolve with that wicked Cardinall
not to leave their part in Paris,for their part in Paradife:
promote
it.
Efay 33.
14.
And
་
157
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
23 5:3
The fierce-
nejle of
Gods wrath
And with that Noble man (which Luther ſpeaks of /
who profeffed, that if this life of going from whore-
boufe to whore-houfe might laft ever, he would not
envie any mans going to heaven. But this will not laft;
There is great wrath prepared for the workers of ini
quity. And therefore my humble request is, that if any
of you finde your hearts unwilling to fubmit to that
godly counfell,given you in the morning, of turning to
God,doe but think what your finnes, which youprize fo
much, will coſt you. They fay the Pope hath a book.
called Taxa camera Apostolica, wherein men may know
the rate of any finne; upon what termes a man may
keep a whore,be a Sodomite, or murder his Father,&c.
But here is a rate-book, where any of you may know
what a beloved finne will cost you; not a farthing token
leffe, than to lie under the devouring fire of Gods
wrath to all eternity.Porters will try their burthens up-
on their fhoulders before they engage themſelves to
carry it, doe thou fo. It is reported of Mafter Bil-
ney when he thought he ſhould be burnt, he would put
his finger into the candle to fee how he could endure
burning: doe thou often fo; goe often alone and fay,
here is a finne marvellous pleafant, fuch a fin gaines
me thus much every yeare, but there is wrath to come :
And therefore as Elihu faid to Iob, Becauſe there is Iob 36.18.
wrath, beware left he take thee away with his ftroak; a
great ranſome cannot deliver thee, hee will not esteeme
thy riches, no not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
Fourthly and lastly, there is one ufe peculiar to you
that be our Noble Senatours, the Lords and Commons ga-
thered in Parliament: wee know your care is for our
good, but this I humbly propound to you, you will
4
To the
Parlia-
ment, to
محمد
make it
their great
'care to pas
never cifie it.
24
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
The fierce- never doe us good, if Gods wrath be not taken
neffe of
Gods wrath
Doct. 2.
God may
goe on to
away
from us: were you fo many Gamaliels, fo many Hemans,
fo many Solomons, fo many Angels gathered together,
and all of one heart to ftudy Englands good; you
can doe England no good, if Gods wrath, which is
kindled againſt it, be not pacified. And therefore let
your great ſtudy be both to finde out what hath kind-
led Gods wrath against us, and what may remove it
from us : of which I ſhall bee able to give you further
knowledge in the next and maine leffon to which now
I paffe, viz.
That the fins of a people may come to that paffe, and Gods
In refor- wrath may bee kindled to that heighth, that notwithstand-
mation ing their Reformation, God will goe on to a defolation.
In handling whereof I fhall (the Lord helping mee)
defolation. difcuffe theſe three things. First, I fhall open the
thing in Theft, clear the conclufion, and fee if I can
make you underſtand it. Secondly, enquire in hypothefi,
whether it concerne us or not; whether our Nation,
Church or State, may bee thought to bee in any
danger of it. And thirdly, I fhall endeavour to make
fome ufes which may be fitting for fuch an Affembly
as this is.
>
For clearing the conclufion, I fhall endeavour theſe
three things. First, I will demonftrate the truth of it.
Secondly, I will enquire whether the fignes of it may
be known,and how farre they may be known: Whether
the Lord hath left any foot-ſteps or rules for us to pro-
gnofticate by,and fo to judge when a people is come to
that paffe: And if fo, then, Thirdly, what thofe tokens
are: And I ſhall endeavour to ſpeak plainly and freely
of them all.
For
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
る
​25
es
so an to
Scripture.
For the truth of it, were there no other Inftance to Gad may
be found in any other ftory, but this in my Text,it were defolation.
fufficient to prove that fuch a thing may bee. That
which hath been already, may bee fo againe. Iofiah, Proved by
we fee, wrought fuch a Reformation,that the whole King- 2 Chrc.34.
dome did, all his dayes follow the Lord; and notwithstand-
ing all this, Godturned not from his fierce wrath; but went
on to deftroy them.The Lord threatens elfe-where that
he would doe it,Zeph. 2. 1, 2. Gather your felves together
before the decree bring forth, before the day paſſe as the
chaffe, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you: As
if he ſhould have faid, The decree is not yet come forth;
but if once it bring forth, it will be too late for you to
feek for mercy. There be other examples (though not
fo full as this) fufficient to prove this truth: As Nine-
web for one: The Lord fent the Prophet Jonah to
preach repentance or destruction to them; and you know
it is faid, The King laid afide his Crown, and called
them all to repentance; and repent they did, and God
faw their works,and for a while forbore that City; and Ionak 3.
yet the judgement of moft Interpreters is, that within
fourty years after, the City was deftrøyed, even in the
fame age wherein the Reformation was made.
That Inftance of the lewes is moft remarkable,in our
Saviour Chriftstime: 1ohn Baptist came before him,and
turned the hearts of the parents to the children,andthe chil-
dren to the parents; made ready a people prepared for the
Lord; there went out to him Ierufalem and all Iudea, and
all the region about Iordan, and were baptized of him, con-
feßing their finnes. And Chrift had fo many followers,
that the Scribes and Pharifees faid, all the world went
after him; that is, the body of their Nation. And the A-
poſtles converted fo many,that they ſaid to Paul, that A8.21·20,
E
there
26
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
Reforma-
Notwith there were many myriads, many ten thousands of Lewes
flanding that believe,who are all zealous; yet notwithſtanding, in
that very age, wherein the Goſpel wrought thus effectu-
ally among them,the wrath of God came upon that Na-
tion to the utmoſt,& ſcattered them over all the world.
tion.
may bee
known.
It is likewife recorded of the Romane Empire, which
for a matter of fix or ſeven hundred yeares had been a
dreadfull enemy to the Kingdom of the Lord; first a-
gainst the Church of the Jewes, and afterwards againſt
-the Chriftians (while it was unconverted ;) in Conftan-
tines time the Empire turned to Chriftianity,and in the
very first age of the Empires Christianity, came the deftru-
Aion and diffolution of it. So that there is a truth in it,
that Gods wrath may be ſo far kindled, that he will ac-
cept of no atonement, but will inexorably proceed to
defolation.
That this The fecond Queſtion is, Whether this may be known;
whether we may poffibly find our any direction, where-
by to judge of Gods purpoſe of thus comming againſt
a people. Anfw. And for that, I confeffe, a great ma-
ny men,eſpecially fuch as are not willing to have any
dangerous truth preached to them, doe think that all
preaching and ſtudy, in ſuch points as thefe, is of no
more certainty, than the judgement of judiciall Aftro-
logy: Tell them of wrath to come, or defolation of
Churches, or deftruction of Common wealths; they
look on fuch as fhall tell them of thefe things,as upon a
company of ignorant people, who will be of their Au
thors faith, or eftcem them as proud men, who would be
thought to have more acquaintance with Gods fecrets
than their neighbours, and therefore they muſt adven-
ture upon fuch bigh points; or at beft, conceive them
to be fullen, discontented,melancholick people,who look on
every
161
罩
​before the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
27
go on to
defolation.
every thing with black fpectacles; but in the meane God maj
time themſelves will never be perfwaded, that any can
give them rules of directions to judge in this kind :
But you are wife and if you pleaſe to take two or three
places of Scripture into your ferious thoughts,you will
conclude quickly, that this is a point may be known:
The one is Ierem.8.7. where the Lord blames the ſtu-
pidity of the people, that whereas the Storke in the bea-
vens knowes her appointed times; and the Turtle, and the
Crane, and the Swallow observe the times of their comming;
but his people would not know the judgements of the Lord:
arguing them to bee more filly and fimple than the ve-
ry birds and fowles, who could obſerve what ſeaſons
were fit or unfit for their staying or removing in ſuch or
fuch a Countrey; and Gods people remained ignorant
of the ſeaſons of Gods approaching judgements. Ano-
ther place you ſhall find,Hof.7.9. where the Lord faith
of Ephraim, that is, the ten Tribes,gray haires are fcatte-
red here and there upon him, yet hee knowes it not: The
meaning, plainly,is this; That as gray hairs are remem
brances,and plain tokens of declining old age comming
upon men; fo there were fymptomes and tokens of E-
phraims ruine comming upon him, and yet hee would
take no notice of it.Ourbleffed Saviour alfo in Mat.16.
V. 1, 2, 3. tells his hearers, that they could make Alma-
nacks for weather, and difcerne the face of the skie, and yet
could not difcerne the fignes of the times, (implying that
Prognoſtications might alſo be made, if men would
ſtudy the right way) whereby they might know what
God intends to doe with a people. So then, there is
One ſtep gained, that fomething may be know of Gods
approaching judgements.
E 2
But
5:3
28
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwith-
Standing
Reforma-
tion.
beknown.
1
But that I may not deliver any thing but what you
fhall have a full fuffrage for, I adde in the next place,
and confeffe, that becauſe all feafons are in Gods
And how hands, and all people under his abfolute prerogative;
for it may fo that, if hee pleafeth, he may deftroy a Nation for
one finne; and againe, if hee pleafeth, hee can exer-
cife fo much mercy, that no finnes of a people can fet
any bounds or limits thereunto; nothing but his own
holy will fetting limits to his patience, long-fuffe-
ring and mercy; and becauſe alfo God doth alwayes
beare fuch a tender regard to his own children, that
where ever they live, hee doth often for their fakes
(as it were) reverſe his fentence of defolation. In re-
Pfa,106.23 gard of theſe things and fome others which might bee
fuggefted, I think I may fay, no mortall man can
poffibly determine when the precife time of this or
that Nations utter ruine is certainly come. What
Chriſt faid of the day of Judgement, may fitly bee
applyed here, the very day and houre of the laft Judge
ment no mans knowes, but only the Father, and the
Sonne, to whom it is revealed from the Father, and
that alfo fince his Refurrection; but [yet there bee
Mat, 24.36 fignes whereby we may know the approaching of that
day: So wee may fay of this, though wee cannot
know the very time of a Nations defolation; yet
wee may know when the ruine of it comes neere at
hand. And what learned men fay of them, who have
Audied for the Philofophers ftone, though they could
never finde out the Elixar, yet in their fearch after
it they have found out many excellent things, ad-
mirably uſefull for mankinde: fo in this fearch, if
wee cannot determine that fuch a Nation will in-
fallibly
£
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5:3
2.9
got
on to
fallibly bee ruined, yet wee may certainly finde God may
fuch things as thereby to learne what to feare, what rotation
to expect, what to pray against, what to strive after,
&c. And fo confequently the handling of this
queſtion may bee exceedingly uſefull to ſuch an Af-
fémbly, as I am now called to ſpeak to in the name of
God.
This then is a ſecond ſtep that we may know ſuch
things as may make us feare defolation, and confe-
quently labour to prevent it, or prepare for it.
known.
Thirdly, the maine queftion is to enquire what are And how
the Tokens, the gray haires, the flouriſhing of the Al- it may be
mond tree, whereby we may gueffe at mans going to his
long home.
-
I anſwer,Politicians,and ſome Divines will tell you
of the fatall period of Kingdoms, that they have their
youth,their ſtrength, and after a time their declination;
and fhew by abundance of experience, that States fel-
dome continue above five or fix hundred years without
fome fatall change: But wee muft goe by a furer rule
than this. It is not length of time, which makes God
weary of fhewing mercy; but, what Solomon faith of Prov.23.
Kings, for the tranfgreßions of a land many are the
Princes thereof: fo for the tranfgrefsions of a land, and
the tranfgreffions only, many are the ruins thereof. Now
there is one rule which God hath alwayes proceeded by
in the diffolution of Churches and Kingdomes ever
fince the beginning of the world, and that is this. That
whenfoever the finnes of any Church, Nation, City, Fa- Fulneffe of
mily, or Perſon (you may take it as large or as narrow as fin the evi-
you will ) are come to a full meaſure, then God infal- dence of
libly brings ruine upon them. This is the rule which
I ſhall
Ei 3
it.
༢༠
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Reformati-
tion.
Notwith. I fhall make plaine to you: God hath ſet ſeverall vef-
flanding fels to limit the finnes of all Nations, beyond which
they fhall not goe; as once God faid to the waves
of the Sea, Hitherto thou shalt goe, but here thy proud
waves ſhall be ſtaied: fo God hath faid of the finnes
of Nations, Families, Perfons: Thus farre I will for-
beare thee, but farther thy wickedneffe fhall not ex-
ceed; then comes thy end. Take foure or five cleare
evidences for it in the Scripture. First, that fpeech of
Gen.15.16 God to Abraham: I will give thy pofterity all this land,
but not yet, becauſe the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet
full: though they were Amorites, God would beare with
them, till their iniquities were come to the full, and
then he would ſpare them no longer. Another is Zam
chary 5. verfe 6.The Prophet in a Vifion faw an Ephah,
a thing like a bufhell, and moreover the Lord told him,
this is the reſemblance of the Ephah, throughout all the
earth: as if God ſhould have faid, this is not only prob
per to this people, but this rule I go by throughout the
whole world: and what was that? the Ephab is brought
out,and into the Ephah is caft a Woman;this woman fate
and filled the Ephah: then one brings a talent of lead
for a cover to it, and that ſtops the mouth of it, and
ſhuts the woman in ; then come two women with the
wind in their wings, and they take up the Ephah and
carry it between heaven and earth, and place it in
the land of Shinar or Babylon, there to build it an
houſe, and to ſet it upon its own baſe. Now what is
the meaning of all this? there is one word in the viſion,
which is a key to open this lock, viz, this is wickedneffe:
the meaning whereof is, That the Lord had brought the
Jewes from the captivity of Babylon, where they had
K
been
265
3 F
5:3
before the Commons House of Parliament.
God may
t
goe on to
been ſeventy yeares: as foone as they came home-,
though they turned not to Idolatry, yet they proved defolation
ſtark naught. God fets them their Ephah, puts their
iniquity into a veffel, and doth (as it were) fay, Goe
on, till yee have filled the Ephah; but as foone as that
is full, I will clap a talent of lead in the mouth of it,
I will take a courſe yee fhall finne no longer in this
land, but will ſcatter you into Mefopotamia, into the
land of Shinar, and there bee as wicked as yee will.
So you fee when the meaſure is full, then vengeance
comes.
Take another inftance, in the first of Iames verſe 15.
when luft hath conceived, it brings forth finne.; and finne
when it is finiſhed, brings forth death; which is of the
fame interpretation with the former, and fhewes us
fins progreffe in the rifing, reigning, and ruine. First a
man hath luft, a wicked corrupt heart that he brings
into the world; every man comes into the world with
a heart full of luft, now this luft brings forth iniquity;
God leaves people to goe on in wickedneffe, if they
be not fuch as he means to fave; and when their finne is
perfected, it brings forth death; when it comes to the
full fourty weeks, and hath gone the full time, then
comes deftruction. Take yet two inftances more,
both in the fourteenth of the Revelation verfe 14, &c.
in the Parables of the vintage,and of the harveft; when
they were ripe, then ruine comes. Till then God
ufeth to beare with people : Smaller judgements often
come before finne is ripe, and are removed againe ;
but when once the meaſure is full, then God faith,
as in Nahum, chap. 1. verſe 6. Hee will make an utter
end, affliction ſhall not rise up the second time; hee will
1
fo
32
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwith- fo doe it at once, that they ſhall not need to feare a
ftanding fecond.
Reformati-
tion.
fin be full.
Efay Io.
4,5.
Now if by the way you defire to know why God de-
fers fo long and rather cuts not off wicked men fooner:
Why God I anfwer, it should fuffice us, that it is his will to doe it ;
defers till but further he doth it,partly that they may be for exer-
cife to his people to purge and humble them, as Aſbur
was his rod to whip his people, before the rod was
burnt. And partly to declare his long-fuffering, and
patience, thereby to leave them without excufe if
Rom. 2. they prove incorrigible. Thirdly, this is for falvation
to fome, who in the meane time are to be gathered in:
and this I take it, the Apoſtle meanes, 2 Pet.3.9.when
he faith, the, Lord defers his comming to judgement,
becauſe the Nation of the Jewes is firſt to be gathered
in.So that as the Angel ftaid till Lot was plucked out of
Sodom: fo God hath fome brands to fnatch out of the
fire, for whofe fakes he defers the execution of ven-
geance againſt them, whoſe fins call for it. For theſe
cauſes, and it may be others not known to us, but ſecret
to himſelfe,doth God deferre the full execution of his
wrath till finne be ripe.
How the
fulneſſe of
But how may we judge when the finnes of a people
a Peoples grow to the full? Ianfwer (and but briefly, becauſe
fin may be I would not be burthenfome to an attentive auditory;
known. the ſpirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in the beft;)
to finde out finnes fulneffe, foure things must come
into confideration. Firſt, what kinds of finnes they
are defo- are which are land-deſtroying finnes. Secondly, the
lating fins. quantity of theſe finnes. Thirdly, the aggravation of
them. Fourthly, which is the upſhot of all, the incor-
rigibleneffe of them.
What fins
For
before the Commons Houſe of Parliament.
33 5:3
Idolatry.
Deut, 95,
Ezek. 438.
Firft,the kinds of them, I meane thus,there was God may goe on
to defolation.
never any Church or Nation without finne, but all
finnes are not Church-wafting finnes, nor Land-
deftroying fins; but there are fins which are called
abominations,fuch as make a land fpue out the inba- Levit. 18 28
bitants: fuch as make God drive them out: And they
are ſome againſt the firft Table, fome againſt the
fecond Table. Againſt the firft Table, firſt,the fin
of Idolatry. Evermore as Idols come in, God Ezek 8.
goes out: When there was an Image of jealoufie fet Hof.13.
up, God goes farre from his Sanctuary. God likes no
fuch neighbours. When Ephraim offended in Baal,
be dies for it when the meane man bowes himselfe,
and the great man humbles himſelfe to ſtocks and
ftones, God will ſpare them no longer. When the Eſay 2 91
glory due to Iehovah, is communicated to dumbe
Idols,this God will bear at no peoples hand. And
the reafon is plaine, this is as the marriage bed to
God,this provokes his jealoufie, which is his rage,
then he will accept of no ranſome: This therefore is
the abomination that makes all defolation.
Secondly, the fins of prophaning, contemning, Prophaneſe
Scorning and perfecuting of Gods holy things, his holy
day, bis holy fervants. I joyne all theſe finnes toge-
ther, becauſe they come all from the fame root,
that is, malignancy againſt God: God himselfe is
prophaned, fleighted, contemned in all theſe.
Thou haft defpifed my holy things, and prophaned my Ezek. 22.4; 8
Sabbaths, therefore thou haft caufed thy day to draw
neere. God therefore would make Moab as Sodom,
zeph.28.4
and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, be-
cauſe they reviled his people; but there is one
proofe may ferve in ftead of an hundred,
F
a Chron
and contempt
of Gods Or-
dinances, day,
and fervants.
3 10,
34
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
Notwithflan-
tion.
2 Chron. 36. The Lord did a long time beare with
ding reforma them, but when once they came to that paffe
they polluted his Houfe,defpifed his word, mocked his
mejengers, mifufed his Prophets, his wrath grew hot
against them till there was no remedy: God could
then beare them no longer, but utterly would de-
ftroy them. And it is our Country-man, Venerable
Bedes obſervation,that when the old Britains grew
to that heigth of finne, as to caft odium in religio-
nis profeffores,tanquam in adverfarios,God prefent-
ly fent in the Saxons, who deſtroyed them all.
Sins deftru-
Ative to hue
mane fociety
Gen.6.11.
Ion.3.8.
Ezek.22.3.4.
6.9.12.
Hof. 12.7.
Hof. 4. 2.
Sei fuall lufts
of drunken-
neffe ad un-
cleanreffe.
Mor. S. 10,
Pol4.2.15.
There are alſo fome finnes againſt the ſecond
Table which greatly helpe to fill the meaſure of a
peoples iniquity: As firft, fuch finnes as are de-
ftructive to humane fociety,cruelty,blood,oppref
fion, deceit, theſe were the finnes which brought
the flood upon the world of the ungodly. The fe
are the fins which the King of Nineveh faw would
ruine him and his Kingdome.
Secondly, the fenfuall lufts of drunkenneſſe and
whoredome; I joyne theſe finnes together, be-
cauſe they are ufually joyned in Scripture; and fel-
dome fevered in mens practice: And you fhall
cleerly in the fearch of the Scripture finde them to
be among the abominations which helpe to fill up
the meaſure of a peoples fin,and prepares them for
judgement. I have feen a horrible thing in the koufe
of Ifrael (faith God, fpeaking of the finnes which
made God hew them downe) there is the whore-
dome of Ephraim; whoredome and wine, and new
wine take away their heart: This was one of the
things that made God have controverfie with the
land to make it mourne, and to take them all a-
way
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
35
5:3
to defolation.
Efay 28.1.3.
ver.7.8.
fins.
Gen.5.12.
way. I have not time to profecute thefe things, God may go on
you ſhall eafily find that theſe are gray haires in a-
ny Nation where ever they are found.
Secondly, the quantity of theſe finnes is very The generali-
confiderable, when they are univerfall, no Nation ty of the c
ever was without them, but when once they come
to ſpread as a Gangrene over the whole body,
then the meaſure quickly growes full : When all
fleſh had corrupted their wayes, then the flood
came ruſhing in: When from the crowne of the
head, to the fole of the foot, the whole body was full of Elay 1.5,5.
wounds, and bruises, and putrified fores, then it was
to no purpoſe for God to strike them any more
with any hope of healing.
You fhall finde in the 24. of Ezekiel, a notable verf 2,3,4,
deſcription of Jerufalems condition, when Nebu-
chadnezzar came to deſtroy them, the Prophet
compares the Cityto a great pot,where into all the
choice peeces were put to bee boiled, the thigh
and thefhoulder,andall the choice bones, but they
were all rotten fleſh whofe fcumme would not
boile out, meaning, that the Princes and Rulers,
Prophets and Priefts and People were all over-
fpread with abominable wickedneffes. So in the
22.of Ezekiel, all ſtates are brought in, the Pro- Ve15.&£•
phets devouring foules, the Priefts violating the
Law, prophaning holy things, Princes and Rulers
oppreffing, the people robbing, &c. then God
powres out his indignation, and confumes them
with the fire of his wrath.
a caution.
But this must be understood with this caution, Yet to be un-
that when I fay all, tis not to be understood as if derftond with
God would ſpare a people untill the whole multi-
tude grew wicked,and none remaining on his fide:
F2
God
36
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwithfan
ding Reforma-
tion.
Th, aggrava-
Ans.
Dan. 9.12.
This is the
God had feven thoufand in Ifrael who were faith-
full to him in the worst time of Ahabs apoftacy,but
the meaning is,when the number of fuch as abftain
from theſe abominations,is ſo ſmall, that they are
not confiderable,to God they are alwaies confide-
rable,but not alwaies confiderable as to the turning
away of judgement, or to the preventing of ruine.
Ten righteous men would have been confiderable
in Sodom for the ſparing of it, when five would
not. So the fum is, that when thefe abominations
are generally ſpread, and very few in compariſon
abstaining from them, a people growes ripe apa ce
for deftruction.
3. The third thing confiderable, is the aggrava-
tion of thcfe tion of theſe finnes, and therein I ſhall only give
this one briefe rule,that in all places & countries,
houſes,families, or perfons, the more mercy,light
and meanes theſe finnes are committed againft,the
fooner is the veffel of their iniquity come to the
full. Amos 3.2. You onely have I knowne of all the
Nations of the world,and therefore I will vifite you for
all your iniquities, Ezek 9.God begins at his fan&tua-
ry and with the antient men, who had stood longeft.
very argument before him. And Daniel makes this the reaſon why
Chapter of God brought a greater evill upon them than upon
the ſecond of any other Nation, becauſe no other Nation had
Ieremy. See, al-
fo Mic.1.5. enjoyed the like meanes to keep them from finne,
or to bring them to repentance. And in the 22.of
Efay. The valley of vifion had the greateſt bur-
then of wrath of all others; that is,the people of
Ifrael, to whom God had ſent all his Phophets
from time to time. And there is great reaſon why
finnes againſt light and covenants, mercies and
of the whole
Con-
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament .
37 5:3
to defolation.
Conſcience, ſhould be moſt provoking; It is thus God may go on
even amongſt all ingenuous men,he that eateth my
bread, (faith David hath lift up his heele against mee, Pfal. 41. 9
if it had been a ſtranger, I could have borne it: Is 2 Sam.16.17.
this thy kindneffe to thy friend, could unnaturall
Abſolon ſay to Hufbai? This then is a plaine caſe,
that the more mercies a people finne againft, the
greater is their fin, and the fooner comes their
judgement.
they areto
4. The last thing confiderable to finde out the Incorrigible-
fulneffe of finne, is the Incorrigiblenesse of it,and if neffe of theſe
the Lord grant that we canquit our felves of this, fins, when
we ſhall yet doe well: by this Incorrigibleneffe, I frong for
meane, when the finnes of a people are growne fo
great, that they are too ftrong for the mounds and
banks which God hath ſet to keep them in com-
paffe. Now God hath fet Foure Boundaries for
finne, and when fin is growne too ſtrong for all
theſe, you may conclude that (reſerving or ex-
cepting what God may doe in his abfolute prero-
gative) if he goe by his wonted rules, that Nation
is going to her long home.
Firft, God hath fet Confcience and ſhame to be Conſcience
boundaries among all people, to keep fin in com- and fhame,
paffe: Conſcience to make them ſtand in awe of
God: fhame to make them ſtand in feare of men:
Theſe two God hath ſet up ( as his Officers and
heraulds) in all mens hearts; and when once men
can run into fin,as the horse into the battell,rejoycing Prov.20746.
to doe evill,proclaiming their fins as Sodom,not being Ef.34.
afbamed and paft all feeling,there is one bank broken
downe, one Boundary plucked up.
Secondly, another bank that God hath fet, is
B 3.
the
38
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
on.
For prayers
examples &
counſell of
the godly
Notwithflan. the example, and converfation,and prayers of hisowne
ding Reformati- people, whom he featters here and there amongst
men, and great is the power and force of their
prefence to keep finne in compaffe, partly by the
Majestie of the image of God,fhining in them,part-
ly by their holy examples, partly by their wife and
feaſonable counſells,admonitions reprehenfions, partly
by their prayers, whereby they bring downe re-
ftraining and conftraining grace: Now when theſe
are either taken away from a place by death, or dri-
ven away by perfecution as Lot out of Sodom, or li-
18. Gen. 33. ving amongst them, God takes off their edge to
pray no longer, as Abraham for Sodom, or Ieremy
for the lens: There is a fecond Boundary pulled up.
Iob zzult.
Elay 57*1.
Gen.19.
ler. 14.11.
For Magi-
ftrates and
Minifters,
which comes
The third is, that of Magiftrates and Minifters,
whom God hath invefted with his owne authori-
tie, and put upon them fome beames of his owne
top flc citer, Majeftie and Image, put his fword into their
hands, and armes them with power to keep fin in,
and beat it downe; The Magiftrate haveing the
fword of Iuftice,andthereby being made cuftos utri-
ufque tabule; and Minifters having the word of the
Spirit, theſe two are ftrong Rampires, and Banks,
they are the role, to hinder finnes courfe, they
are Phyfitians to the hurts of Gods people, and
when once the fins of a Land grow too ftrong for
theſe, farewell all, you will foone heare the daies
of their vifitation are at hand. And this is done in
three Cafes.
Wien they
tale pait
with it.
First, when Magiftrates and Minifters take
finnes part, and in ftead of joyning with God a
gainſt fin, they joyne with fin aga inft God: as if
the dogges fhould joyne with the wolves a-
gainſt
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
39
-5:3
gainſt the ſheep, and the Shepheards.
;
God may goe on
to defolation.
Thus it was in Ieremies time, he found the peo-
ple harder than a rock to be wrought upon, but he
faid, Surely these are poore and foolish, who know not
the way of the Lord, I will get me to the great men,and [er.4 5.
I will speake to them, for they have knowne the way
of the Lord, and the judgement of their God
but were they fuch, or did they fo ? marke what
follows, theſe have altogether broken the joke, and
burst the bands,in ftead of maintaining Gods yoke,
and ſtrengthening Gods hands, they broke them.
a pieces and what followes, therefore a Ly- Hof.9.7.
on out of the forrest shall flay them, an even-
ing wolfe ſhall ſpoile them, a Leopard ſhall watch
over the cities, every one that goes out ſhall bee
torne in pieces.Thus it was likewife in Hofeaes time,
when the Prophet was a foole, and the spirituall man
was mad, when the Princes would be drunke with bot-
tles of wine, &c. Thus it was in Ezekiels time (as Ezek.22.15.
was before touched) immediately before their de- &c.
folation.
Secondly, when Magiftrates or Minifters are da- Or dare not
ftardly, when they are affraid of fin and finners, and oppo:e it.
dare not appeare for God, when fuch men have
God, Confcience, their office, the lawes, all on their
fide,and yet dare not appeareaga inft Idolatry,pro-
phaneneffe, violence, fenfuality, as it fhowes the
men to be of a baſe ſpirit, fo it argues the fins of
that place to be of great ſtrength even fit for judg
ment. Thus it was in the 22. Of Ezekiel, verfe.30.
when all fuch were growne corrupt, fought for a
man among them,that is fome Phinehas,to stand inthe
gap, to make up the hedge, fome zealous Minifters
to
40
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwithflan-
to ſtand up and mediate with God for them, and
ding Reformati- teftifie in their miniftery against them, but I found
on.
See alfo Ier. none, and therefore I powred out my indignation upon
them.
C.I.
Or doing
their duty
cannot yet
prevaile
geirft it.
Ard for the
Thirdly, in caſe any Magiftrates or Minifters
doe appeare on Gods part, as Iofiah, Ieremiah and
others did in thefe forlorne times.
› yet they
prove too weake ſtakes, they are able to doe no-
thing; the inundation of wickedneffe beares them
downe, and runs over their heads: In a word, when
fomeMagiſtrates take part with finne,others afraid
of it, and the remainder, who are faithfull can pre-
vaile nothing, this Rampire is likewife over-
throwne.
4. There is but one more, which when it is
judgements likewife caft downe, deftructon is at the
of Gcd
very
doore, and that is, Gods leffer judgements: God
fometimes keeps petty-feffions, to prevent great
Afsizes,inferior executions,to prevent utter defo-
lations, which when they prevaile not, it is a cer-
taine token of extreame wrath. Sometimes
God afflits neighbour Nations, deftroying their
Cities, that the reft might receive Inftruction, and
Zeph.3.6,7. their dwelling not be cut off: As Iudges will hang up
a thiefe upon a Gibbet, to keepe others from the
gallowes. I have overthrown fome of you (faith God)
as Sodom, I have fmitten you with blasting and mil-
dew, I have fent among you the peftilence, yet yee have
not turned to me, why should ye be fmitten any more?
You fhall fee this notably expreffed in the 24.of
Ezekiel, Where God compares Ierufalem to a pot
and all the Inhabitants to fleſh boyling in the pot,
but all the boyling would not fetch out their fcum,
Amos 4.
ΠΟ
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
L
41
God may g®
on
S
no threatnings, no vifitations, no inferiour Judgements to do-
could prevaile with them, but ſtill their fcum, their tation.
blood, their filthineffe and lewdneffe abode in them;
mark then in the 13. v.what doome God gives of them,
becauſe I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, Í
have tryed all meanes to doe thee good, and thou wilt
not be reformed, thou shalt never be purged from thy fil-
thineffe any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee,
I the Lord have spoken it, and I wili doe it. And that ex-
ample in the fixth of Jeremy, is most remarkable, where
God ufeth fuch a parable as this, the bellowes are burnt, V.4,30.
the lead is melted in the fire, the founder works in väine, for·
the wicked are not taken away, reprobate filver fball men
call them, for the Lord hath rejected them. God here com-
pares himſelfe to a Silver-fmith, who takes a piece of
Oare, and tryes all his art to divide betwixt the droffe
and the metall, but cannot doe it, and at laft throwes it
away with indignation, faith it is baſe ſtuffe, on which
he will never beſtow any more labour.So God feemes to
fay, my Minifters have spent their lungs, dryed up their
throats, all my other judgements have been tryed, but
the wicked are not taken away,they are all baſe droſſe, I
will beſtow no more paines upon them.
you
And now you understand what the gray hairs of a State
or people are,& when a people are ripe for deſtruction,
when the time is come that God will paffe them no more,
fhall not need to enquire by what meanes he will do
it,he hath all in his own hands,he hath famine,and pefti-
lence, and fword, and wilde beaſts, and fire, and earth-
quakes; and if none of all thefe doe it, he hath flies, and
lice, and graſhoppers, and rats and mice enough to deftroy
the ſtrongeſt Kingdome in the world in a moment; if
he but whiſtle, hiffe, or call for them.
G
Object.
42
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwith-
franding
tion
06 It is true may ſome ſay,if people goe on in their
Reforma wickedneffe,and prove Incorrigible, no marvaile though
God proceede thus against them: but that it ſhould be
What kind the cafe of a people, who fet upon Reformation, this is
mation ftrange: And how will this ftand with the doctrine
may meet preached in the forenoone, that when a Nation repents,
with defo- God will repent,&c.
of Refor-
lation.
Ier. 18.7.8.
Egeb.4.
Anfw. In fuch an affembly as this, a ſhort anſwer (if
true) will fatisfie. First, God never promiſed that the
fincere Reformation of a few fhould prevent the judge-
ment of a multitude: if Gods time of Execution bee
come, Noah,Daniel,and Iob fhall deliver neither fon,nor
daughter,who are not turned home to God. Secondly,
I anſwer, that though the Nation joyned in the Refor
mation, it was not in fincerity, if it had been found, the
doctrine in the morning would have carried it away,
and I muſt have had another Interpretation of my Text.
It is true, Iofiah carried it by his authority, but the peo-
ler.3.10. ples hearts were not right. And Ieremy faith no leffe,
when I removed Samariah out of my fight, her treache
rous fifter Iudah turned not to me. Yes,might the people
fay, we did turne to thee under good King Jofiah, but it
was but fainedly; (faith the Prophet) and it appeares to
be fo, for as foone as ever tofiah was dead, they made an
univerfall Apoftafie from the Lord, and fo their Reforma-
tion was but like that of the Nation of the Ieres in
Matte 12 Chrifts time, which our Lord compares to the uncleane
fpirit, going out for a while, and returning againe with
feven Devils worſe then himſelfe. As if England by the
help of this noble Parliament,who lay the cauſe of God
to heart, ſhould joyne in a Reformation, though againſt
the haire, it would come to nothing in the end. And
fo I have in fome meaſure cleared this Do&trine in
43,44,45.
Theft,
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
43
-S:3
God may ge
on to defo-
Thefi, how farve the approaching ruine of a Nation may
bee known, and what the fignes of it are. The fecond lation.
followes, and that is;
this may
Whether this concern us. And what anſwer would Whether
have me give you? I could willingly anfwer in this, be thought
you
as Daniel did Nebuchadnezzar, when he was to inter- to bee our
pret a dreame to the King, which in the true expofition own caſe.
foretold Nebuchadnezzars fall: It is faid Daniel ſtood Dan.4.19.
ftill for an houre, and his thoughts troubled him, and
in the end ſpeaks out, My Lord, the dreame be to them that
bate thee,and the interpretation of it to thine enemies. So
fay I, Oh let the parallel of this be fome other people :
Oh that it might not fit England!but doth it fit it? Right
honourable and beloved, your great wifdomes, your di-
ligent infpe&tion, your ample intelligence, your faith-
fulneffe and fincerity makes you better able to judge,then
my meanneffe can attain unto,who am none of the wifeft
obfervers of the time; but I muft fpeak, and what I
fpeak, I fhall ſpeak freely and humbly, I would I could
ſpeak forrowfully: I know I fpeak to wife men, who can
well judge what I fay.
that we are
not et in
First, I hope verily we are not yet come to that paffe It is hoped
that God fhould fay of us, I will paffe by England no
more; bleffed be God, we have a gracious King, many that con-
Noble Peeres, many excellent Commons, who have dition.,
already done great things for God; I need not repeat
them, 'all the Kingdome knowes them to their com-
fort, Yea, and bleffed bee God, the fame gracious So- A id why?
veraign, and Honourable Affembly of Parliament doe
yet enquire what is further to bee done, what wrath is
kindled, and how it may be quenched, and have called
the whole Kingdome, to afflict themſelves before God,
that his great wrath might be turned away from us. And
G 2
yer
44
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
}
{tanding
Reforma
tion.
Notwith yet we have a fprinkling of Phinehazzes, worthy Magi-
ftrates, who in their feverall Countries and Counties
dare appeare in Gods cauſe againſt finne, and the bold-
eft finners. And we have alfo a good ſprinkling of faith-
full Miniſters, who stand on the watch Tower, and blow the
Trumpet, and give the people warning. And for everblef
fed be the Lord (which is not the leaſt pledge of our
hopes,for the lengthning out of our tranquillity) we have
many ten thouſand Saints in England, who not onely ab-
ftaine from the abominations of the times, but mourne
for them, and give God no reft night nor day, untill hee
bow the heavens and come down, and ſet up for himſelf
a glorious Throne amongst us: And unto theſe God
hath made many promifes of fparing the Land for their
fakes, and that their pofterities after them fhall bee
bleffed.
Yet fea-
red that
we are ve-
But as I hope this, fo the Lord will be a witneffe with
me, that I feare whether all theſe perfons, and their graces
ry near it, doe beare a juft proportion to the meanes and mercies,
which God hath given to England; or to that huge In-
undation of finne, wherewith England is over-runne at
this day. And here, had I a tongue to fpeak, and you
and I hearts and eyes to poure out teares and forrow, we
might make this place a Bochim, a place of weepers.For,
becauſe all what kind of theſe fins doe not overflow us? You will
are found fay at firſt, not Idolatry ; but I tell you,neither were the
amongst Germans carried away with Idolatry, when their defola-
thefe fins
Us.
tions broke in upon them; nor the Lewes, before their
laft deftruction. The meaſure ofour Iniquity may pof-
fibly bee full, though this finne come not in; but God
knowes,and you know that we have not onely abundance
of Idolatrous Papifts, who are proud, infolent and da-
ring, but abundance of Popish Idolatrous fpirits, fuper-
ftitiouſly
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
45 5:3
an to defola-
which pre-
ftitiouſly addicted, willing to embrace any thing that God ma go
goes that way, onely they will not have it goe under the ton.
name of Popery. And for the other finnes of contempt
of Gods holy Ordinances, his day, his fervants, and all
his wayes,oppreffion,cruelty,defrauding of brethren,the
fenfuall fins of uncleanneffe, eſpecially that of drunken-
neffe; Goe but to the places of greateſt reſorts, Market-
Townes, populous Cities, and Fayres, &c. and your
hearts would tremble to think, how our Land is over- And tha:
ſpread with theſe : Oh Beloved, the generality of the in great
people of England, is extreamly wicked, and which meature,
argues our cafe to be moſt miſerable, it feemes to beare vailes
down,and to break over all our Banks,multitudes finning
with a whores fore-head, proclaiming their fins as So-
dom": And the vox populi is; that many of the Nobles, over Ma-
Magiftrates, Knights and Gentlemen, and perfons of giftrates.
great Quality are arrand Traytors and Rebels againſt
God, taking part with wicked men, and wicked cauſes
againſt the Truth, Patrons of Ale-houſes and diſorders,
checking inferiour Officers, who diſcover any zeale for
God againſt an ill caufe: That in many of their fami-
lies (not to mention Religion) there is not ſo much as
a face of Civility: Many others of them, who feem to
wifh well, dare not draw out the ſword which God hath
given them, and fome few others born down in their
places with the torrent of wickedneffe. And as for our
Minifters,how many fad complaints and petitions hath
this Honourable Affembly received againſt many hun- Minifters.
dreds of them? multitudes of them rotten and unfound
in their doctrine, and fo vitious and corrupt in their
lives, that they fulfill that which Archbiſhop Abbot ſaid
in his Lectures upon Ionah,profeffing that his heart bled
within him, to think of the miferable condition of the
G 3
precious
46
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
flanding
Reformati-
(0.
Notwith precious foules of many people who had fuck Minifters,
as Iohannes Aventinus fpeaks of,who (if they were not in
the Miniſtery) would not be thought fit hog-beards to
keep fwine. Befides thouſands of others, who (God
knowes) want either will or skill to doe the Lords work
faithfully. And the refidue who have endeavoured to
give the people warning, and to teach them the good
way of the Lord, have been a long time born down and
oppoſed as the troublers of our Ifrael.Sure I am,what ever
our Miniſters are, or doe, the fins of the Land are too
ftrong for them, and our people remaine unſubdued to
Jeſus Chriſt.
And the
ment',
Yea, which is yet worſe, the very judgements of God
very judg- have wrought little upon us, all the long and heavie
preffures of the Neighbour Churches, his rods upon our
felves, terrible and wafting peftilences and famine,his bla-
fting all our enterprifes, his fcaring us with rumors of
warres and bloud, prevaile nothing; we ftill grow worſe
and worſe Indeed if any fin grow out of fashion, (as
cloathes doe) then we leave it, otherwife we goe on
boldly and impudently, let God threaten or doe what
and mer. he will. And all thefe evils are aggravated by being com-
mitted againſt greater meanes and mercies, then any Na-
tion under Heaven enjoyes this day befides our felves.
cies of
God.
And which is yet fadder, (oh that I were miſtaken up-
on condition I were tyed to a recantation!) our dealing
this last yeare is more injurious against God, then here-
tofore. The Lord hath gathered fuch an Affembly of
Noble Peeres and Commons, who have done fuch great
things, that many of us began to hope our Pilgrimage
through this wilderneffe had been almoſt ended,and that
England would now turn to the Lord, and become a people
zealous of good works: But verily fo farre as I can under-
ſtand,
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
47
a-
ftand,
the body of the Nation makes little other God may go
on to defo-
ufe of all the mercies of this last yeare, but to abuſe all lation.
the liberties procured both for Church and Common- And God
wealth, to greater and bolder finning againſt God: and begins to
now alſo, which yet fpeaks more fadly, the Lord God be- appeare 3-
gainfus.
gins to appeare against us, not onely in permitting ma- dwhere-
ny unexpected blocks and rubs, huge trees caft in the way in.
of our Worthies that they cannot march on in their
ftrength,and fo the much expected Reformation ſticks long
in the birth; but God hath drawn out, and fourbiſhed
the fword, and made it begin to drink blood in the
Neighbour Nation,which when it once begins to drink,
feldome is put up againe, till it be drunk with blood:
this God hath fuffered to be drawn out upon our deare
brethren in Ireland, upon our own fleſh and blood, and
that by a Nation, by whom (though they may feeme
contemptible to fome, as being barbarous, unarmed, &c.
yet) wee may feare that God will plague us, becauſe we
have not laboured to bring them to the knowledge of
God and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Mene tekel. The Lord
grant that being put into the ballance we be not found
too light.
on to our
we are in
danger.
What ſhall we do then? Firſt beleeve it, not that Eng- Applicati-
land ſhall be ruined; I fay not fo: but beleeve that great felves.
is the wrath of God which is kindled against us, that we
ftand upon ill termes before him; that though hee may Firft,t› be
fave us by his Prerogative, yet if he proceed with us at leeve that
common Law, according to his ufuall rule with other
Nations,we are in great danger to be utterly loft. I preffe
this the rather, becauſe we are a fecure Nation, not wil- 1 Kings 22.
ling to beleeve anything that may diſturbe our eaſe. One which we
Zedekiah who will preach pleafing things, fhall bee be- are loth to
leeved more then twenty Micaiahs: fuch as tell us wee
are
doe.
3
48
A Sermon Preached at the late Faft
Notwith are the moſt flouriſhing Church in the world, the
Reformati- ftrongeſt people by Sea and Land, all other Nations
on.
court us, and have their own hands full, the Irish bee
only diſcontented, weake men,and will foon be quieted,
fuch,I fay, ſhall bee beleeved more then an hundred
Ieremies, who would put us in feare. It is reported that
Honorius the Emperour lying at his pleaſure at Ra-
venna, when newes was brought him that Rome was taken
and fpoyled,he thought they had meant a fighting Cock
which he called Rome:fo when we are told of danger,we
flight all that is fpoken, & believe nothing in that kind:
but the Lord grant that this fecurity or ours be not a Calm
17bes.5.3.
before an earthquake:when they fay peace,peace,then fudden
Prov.21.3. deftruction comes upon them. But let us believe and tremble:
the wife man never hides himself till he fees the evill comm-
107.3.5. ing, and the first step to Ninevehs peace was their belie-
ving that God was comming against them.
But till we
But you will fay that is the way to difcourage men,and
you doe not well to difcourage them in whole hand and
doc it our courage our welfare lyes. Oh beloved, let me not bee
danger en fo interpreted; were this objection fit in other cafes ?
cicales, fuppofe one thould come and truly tell us the enemy
were landed,the Sea were broke in,the House or City,were
on fire,were it fit to object, oh ſay not fo, you will dif-
fhall ne- courage men? Difcourage or not difcourage, if this be
not told, how fhall the enemy be driven back,the breach
the right of waters flopped, or the fire quenched? But neither
for fafety, need this difcourage, but rather furnifh us with matter
2 King 22. of humiliation and action. Iefiah fate down and
And wee
ver ulc
meanes
wept
when he understood Gods wrath was kindled, and fell to
reformation. Ezra rent his garment and plucked off his
kair›, and fell 10 his work,and ſo let us do: Let us believe
thar Gods difpleaſure is a gainft us, that we may feare
>
before
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
5:3
49 -
before this Great God, aud labour to get his wrath
turned quite away; and that is the ſecond Vfe.
God may ge
on to defo-
lation.
vse.
vent it.
for it.
2 Let us all labour in the right way to turn this wrath of
God from us,and that, Firft,by mourning under it; God To pre
looks we ſhould be ashamed when he fpits in our face, Fift by
and takes it wonderfull unkindly, if we tremble not when mourning
this Lion roares. Confider ſeriouſly of that place, Efay 2 2. Num.12 14
There you ſhall ſee an enemy was comming against Amos 3.
Ierufalem, and God was much difpleaſed, becauſe they v. &c.
took not the right way for their fafety, and fo ill,that he
faid that iniquity fhould never be purged from them till
they dyed, and yet fee what they did,they scoured up their
armour, they gathered the waters, that the enemy might
have no benefit by them, they repaired the breaches in the
wals, made a deep ditch for greater fortification: what
hurt was there in all this? Ohbut they begun at the wrong
end: the Lord called them to weeping and mourning, and
to baldness, and to girding with fackcloth: to tremble before
him becauſe of his wrath, and this they regarded not,
and therefore God would never pardon it. Till there-
fore wee mourn becauſe of Gods diſpleaſure, all other
meanes of welfare will faile of that comfortable effe&
which we defire.I know the world makes a ſcorn of this,
You are one of the mourners, but let our foules be numbred
among thoſe mourners; God will restore comfort to thefe
mourners : and no man knowes the power which theſe
poore mourners have to turn away Gods wrath.
nall refor-
as we mtion.
Secondly, and as we muft mourn for this fulneffe of By perfo
our fins, fo every ore muft help to empty the veffel, as
have helped to fill it: the fuller our veffel is with finne,
the neerer our ruine is, aud if we could knock out the
bottome of the veffel, or by any meanesempty it, Gods
wrath would paſſe away with our fins: Oh help to empty
H
it,
5༠
A Sermon Preached at the late Fast
*
Not with
fianding
Reforma-
tion
2 Sam, 10.
20.
What the
Parli
ment
for our
fafery.
it, your Atheiſme, your prophanene ffe, your oppofing
of good men, and good caufes, your adulteries,lies,&c.
get them out by all meanes; all Gods threatnings fpeak
to us, as the waves of the Sea feemed to ſpeak to the
Mariners in the first of Ionah. Ionah had told them that
the tempeft came for him, and till he was caft over,the
Sea would never be quiet, yet they rowed hard to carry
Jonah to land, but the waves feemed to tell them, Caft
Ionah over-board, or we will fetch you over-board. Out
therefore with your lufts, God bath no other quarrell
against us, he doth not afflict us willingly, he faith to us
as Ioab faid to the wife woman of Abel, farre be it from
me to fwallow up or defroy a City in Ifrael; deliver
Only Sheba the Sonne of Bichri, or throw his head over
the wall, and I am gone. Doe thou fo, finde out all thy
beloved fins, fay to thy darling luft,as Iunius Brutus faid
to his Son, Thou villaine, fball I nourish thee to destroy the
Common-wealth ? and ſtabs him:ſhall I walk in theſe wayes,
to be the ruine of the Church and Common-wealth ?
the Lord rather flrike me dead witha Thunder.bolt.Let
us therefore everyone, begin, to sweep before our own
door, and we know not how foon the whole ftreet may
be made cleane.
'
Thirdly and laftly, (right Honourable and Beloved)
you are to bee our Phyfitians, and repairers of our brea-
thould do ches; the bornes of Gods wrath begin to puſh at us, you
are the Carpenters that muft cut off thefe horns: I there-
fore make this humble fuit to you, that (as you have be-
fought his Majeftie to call a day of Fafting and Prayer
throughout England, and we hope we ſhall have many
more, till the fierce wrath of God be turned away) ſo in
all your thoughts to doe England, Scotland and Ireland
good, you would fet down this,that the turning away of
Gods
before the Commons Houfe of Parliament.
ي
51
:3
5on to defo
Iofiah's
"
caule of
2 Kings 22.
Gods wrath is of greatest confequence: if you let God God may go
goe on to be angry, doe what you can we fhall lofe all lation.
at home and abroad. I hus did Zofiah, when once he un- Following
derſtood out of the Book of God, that the Lords wrath example.
was kindled, he prefently fends to Hulda the Prophe-
teffe, to enquire what was to be done that they might
quench it, eſteeming all other bufineffe unfeaſonable
and fruitleffe, while that fire was burning. And here I
ſhall onely in a few words commend to you the example
and practice of this brave King, whom this Text fo mag-
nifies. 1. He mourns, and cals all the people to mourn .In mour.
with him; and that through Gods mercy you have done.ning be-
2. He goes out in that way, whereof you heard more Gods
in the forenoon, and breaking down all the Images and wrath.
relicks of Idolatry the Lord fet it cloſe to your hearts, 11.06.
that you may leave nothing which is contrary to Gods 2.Rocting
pure worship. 3. Hee executed the justice and vengeance out Idola
of God upon the Infruments of the Kingdoms ruine, the Ido- 3 in execu
latrous Prieſts, digging the very lones of fome of them out cion of
of their graves: the fame Lord direct you, that in your geanc
great wiſdomes you may bee as the Angels of God, to upon his
difcern what is to be done with them who have been the
troublers of our peace, and the greateſt kindlers of
Gods wrath againft us: fpare whom yee may fpare with
Gods good will; but remember, it is foolish pity that
deftroyes a City: let not the men efcape, whom God
appoints out to punishment. 4. He refolves to Reform
4.In fetting
Religion, and the worſhip of God, and to set it up, and main- mai vain-
taine it according to the word: and to that end he cals to- ing Gods
gether the Priefis,and Prophets,the Elders of Iudah and Ie- gion ard
rufalem, and with them enters into a Covenant before the Worthy.
Lord, 10 walk after the Lord, and to keep his Command-
ments, &c. O that the Lord would put it into the heart
H 2
>
of
try',&c.
Gods ven.
enemies.
I Kin.20.
up and
42.
true Reli-
2 Kia.2.
722
20.
52
A Sermon Preached at the late Fa
Notwith of you all to do the fame, you know what you have been
fandt often petitioned for, the God of all wisdom dire&t
on.
to the
Word,
you in
due time to proceed in this caufe, and if in your wif
domes you shall finde ir fitting that a grave Synod of Di-
vines should be called, to inform your conſciences what is
to be done, I beseech you follow the direction of Gods
word in it. Fifthly, And then for the manner. Hee did
Exatly, all according to Gods law, he confulted not with fleſh
according and blood, enquired not into terms of policy, how far
the State would beare it, or how far the people would
concur without grumbling: but did according to all
which God had appointed in his word. And laſtly, he
did it with zeal and fervency, he laid not out his ftrength
in his own cauſe, and then ufed diverſions and diminuti-
ons in Gods cauſe ; but there was his ſtrength laid out,
where he knew Gods jealoufie lay. The Lord make you
And that fuch Jofiahs, fuch zealous men, what Anakims or Gyants
their would you prove? you might (with Briareus the Gyant
ftrength. with too hands, of whom the Poets feign) take thun-
with all
der bolts out of the hand of God, and ſo ſave your
felvs,your families,and the Nation. Go on, ye worthies
Encou of the Lord, and thus deliver us. If there be any healing,
ragement any deliverance, you ſhall be our Saviours; if there be
Obad. 21. none,you may with Jofiah get the judgement refpited for
Efay 58.8. your life time: let the worst come,the glory of the Lord
thereunto,
fhall not only be your reward, but your vere-ward, your
fafety: you ſhall deliver your foules, and your children
after you ſhall be bleſſed. Do this, and the Lord God
be with you.
FINIS.
Gaylord Bros.
Makers
Syracuse, N. Y.
PAT. JAN. 21, 1908
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