Use of this may be two-fold One is against the wicked since in these three respects there is no wrath comparable to the wrath of God no wrath is so much to be feared as his wrath Vengeance belongeth to me I will recompence saith the Lord and againe the Lord shall judge his people It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God p although it be much better for the Godly to fill into the hands of God whose mercies are great and who in judgement remembreth mercy then into the hands of men whose mercies are cruell and it were more tolerable for them to have the pestilence then the sword raging in the Land q yet the wicked shall find that it had beene more easie for them to fall into the hands of men then into the hands of God who both killeth the body and destroyeth their temporall being casteth both soul and body into the fire of hel For the Lord whose name is jealous is a jalous God r and which is very proper for such as at this time flatter themselves in their owne wickednesse The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven s To which that of the Prophet is very agreeable Then shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted t The wicked amongst the people of God who blesse themselves in their owne hearts saying We shall have peace though we walk in the imaginations of our owne hearts are the naturall element for the curses and judgements of God which are moving to and fro to lye and rest in and when the curses and judgements of the Lord come upon them the Lord is at rest and is comforted and his people that feare his name and tremble at his judgements are also at rest and are comforted Another use is for the Godly who in some similitude and conformity with the wrath of the jealous God should stirre up in themselves their zeal and just indignation against false worship and the contempt of the true worship of his name When Moses did behold the Idolatry of the people in the golden Calfe his Zeale was so strong and he so impatient that he brake the Tables written with Gods owne hand u I have beene very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts saith Elias x For the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword When Paul came to Athens and saw the City wholly given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred in him and a Paroxisme like a fit of a feaver did take him y And when Lot was at Sodome he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawfull deeds his soule was tormented within him z You must not any longer be lukewarme like Laodicea neither hot nor cold a but according to the fervent anger ascribed here to God fervent in spirit serving the Lord b When we are lukewarme in the matters of God then doth the wrath of God wax hot and when we are fervent and zealous then doth his anger cease and the fire of his wrath is extinguished The second is the object of his wrath or the bredth unto which it is extended The Realme of the King he saith not upon the King or upon the King of the Kingdome but upon the Kingdome of the King and thus he expresseth himselfe upon two grounds or for two reasons The one is because he knew that for his fault the people might suffer The other is that he looked more to the suffering of the people then to any thing that could befall himselfe No question he had learned from Ezra and others of his spirit so good and necessary a thing is it that Ezraes and Nehemiahs be about Kings such prove indeed as their names imply helpers and comforters both to King and people that Kingdomes suffers sometimes for the sins of their Kings and Rulers c a truth not unknowne unto naturall men It is also true that Kings sometimes suffer for the sinnes of the people For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes therof d If you shall still doe wickedly saith Samuel to the people e yee shall be consumed both you and your King But all the debate is in the application for Kings many times justifie themselves that the people suffer not for their sinnes but for their owne and the people are as ready to justifie themselves that Kings suffer not for their sinnes but for their owne and when wrath is upon both both are ready to stand to their owne defence and to plead their innocency But the true determination is that no man or multitude suffereth but for that sinne which some way is their owne sinne and whereof they themselves are guilty When David numbred the people the people were punished the people were punished for their owne sinnes both their former sinnes which the Lord at this time did take occasion to call to remembrance and their present sinne in consenting to the numbering of the people for had they beene all unwilling as Joab was and had not consented they had not sinned Kings should not be permitted to commit such publike sinnes but Councell Parliament People and every one according to his place and power should hinder them It may displease them for the present but afterward it shall be no griefe nor offence of heart unto them either that they have shed blood causlesse or have avenged themselves as Abigail said to David f yet David said truely it was his sinne both because it did beginne at him and he was the principall Agent in it and because he gave the provocation at this time and his sinne was the match that set on fire the wrath of God which was ready before to be kindled against the people for their sinnes It is a miserable debate betwixt a King and a people when in the time of a publike judgement both of them stand to their owne innocency and the one accuseth the other of guiltinesse But it is a sweet contest and promiseth much mercy and comfort when the Prince saith I have sinned and done wickedly but what hath the people done and when the people say we have sinned and done wickedly and thereby have drawne wrath upon out selves Although at this time the Kings Majesty when he sees so many of the poore people fall to the ground so much blood spilt should be moved in his heart to say as David said I have sinned Yet yee that are his Subjects each one in his owne place should confesse your owne sinnes and justifie the Lords doing for yee are guilty first of many sinnes before this
as are faithfull in their places are upon the right way to save the Kingdome the King and the Kings Sonnes from wrath Now there is nothing more necessary nothing we should desire more earnestly to know then by what means this great wrath of the great God may be prevented where it is iminent feared or averted wher it is incumbent felt to what end doth the Lord threaten his wrath to what purpose doth he make it smoke and in part to break forth in a flame but that the means may be used to turn it away that the fulnesse thereof come not upon us We will find three sorts of means practised in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and of the Prophets their contemporaries The first was publick fasting and solemne humiliation joyned with Confession of sin justifying of God in all the evils he had brought upon them earnest deprecation of wrath and supplications for a blessing that God would accept of their endeavours and prosper his work against so many professed and secret Enemies The second was a solemne Covenant For the Princes and Rulers first and then the people entred into a curse and an oath to walk in Gods Law and to observe and do all his commandments judgements and statutes Here there was swearing subscribing sealing and all means used which could bind their inconstant and fugitive hearts unto God The third was the doing of the work of God the building of the Temple the reformation of Religion the ordring of the worship service of God and the reedising of the wals which were ruined lying in heaps Their fasting and praying was not sufficient they behoved to enter into Covenant Their praying and Covenanting was not enough nor were they to rest there They behoved to build and reforme It hath pleased God to putt in your hearts to give your selves to frequent fasting and humiliation onely consider whether with the acknowledgment of your particular Sins and personall transgressions yee have beene humbled for publike and Nationall Sinnes and especially such as have beene committed about the worship of God and the Government of the house of God The Lord hath been much dishonoured this way for this hath he entred in a controversie with the Land this therefore would be confessed that God may be restoâ—â—d to his honour by your confession It feareth me that a great part of the people of the Land are not yet brought to this Confession but are still fond of a formall Service and a proud Prelacie and therefore as ye are your selves in humilitie to acknowledge this sin as a high provocation so would all good meanes be used for bringing the people to the sight and sense of it It is true there is a secret and reall acknowledgement in the Covenant but the Lord requireth a more direct open and plain confession nor can he be pleased or his wrath turned away till that which hath been called and esteemed for so many yeers the glory and the beautie of the Church of England be thus brought low and cast into the dust It hath pleased the Lord also to bring you a degree farder That both the honourable Houses of Parliament and many others whose hearts the Lord hath toucht have entred into a solemne League and Covenant for performing such duties as are judged necessarie at this time for the honour of God and for the deliverance and preservation of the Church and Kingdom which no doubt will prove a pretious and powerfull mean of good if the Name of the most high God be not by it taken in vain But take heed that it be not forgotten by them that have taken it before it be taken by others And therefore two things would be looked unto 1. That although it should never be taken by others yet it obleigeth such as have entred in Covenant and although the whole Nation be bound to the same duties which ye are bound unto ye have entred into a new Obligation which if you shall forget or violate will certainly be laid to your charge Jeremiah reproveth Israel not for the transgression of the Law which yet commanded the same duties but for violation of the Covenant 2. That others be instructed and moved to enter into the same Covenant for if they who have entred in Covenant shall not consider that it is a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten or which God forbid shall forget their supervenient obligation and others shall refuse to enter in Covenant it will not onely make a division in the Church and Kingdom but shall be a ready way to bring on a greater wrath then yet hath been seen or felt Upon one sort for their perfidy and upon the other for their neglect or obstinacy There is yet a third mean without which the former two are not sufficient And this is Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven A dutie which in it self is necessary and which to us who live under the Gospel is no other thing but the reformation and setling of Religion Wherein we are to consider 1. the Rule of reformation which is the Commandment Decree or revealed will of God 2. The extent of this reformation whatsoever 3. How or after what manner we should go about the work diligently 4. The reasons which should induce us to this duty one is from the greatnesse and soveraignty of God He is the God of heaven The other from common equity It is the house of the God of heaven and it is equitable that every man bear rule in his own house The rule of building the house of God and of the reformation of Religion is the same and perpetuall the commandment of God and not the commandment of man one or moe whether they be Civill or Ecclesiasticall persons It is their part to provide according to their places and callings to command and direct that the Commandment of God be obeyed This King commandeth not that his will be done but what God hath commanded Neither King nor Parliament can command otherwise Civill powers have great authoritie not onely in things civill but in matters of Religion and they sin against God if they use not the authority which God hath put in their hands for the good of Religion To them belongeth Inspection and watching over not onely Ecclesiasticâ—s but Ecclesiastica Ecclesiasticall persons are subject to Civill authoritie no lesse then others and in respect of things Ecclesiasticall or matters of Religion Eusebius brings in Constantine the great saying Vos Episcopi in Ecclesia ego extra Ecclesiam seu templum Episcopus a Deo constitutus sum Not that any mortall man whether Pope or Prince can be properly Head of the Church or Vice-gerent unto Christ the Mediator in his speciall and oeconomicall Kingdom of Grace for Princes are Vice-gerents to God and to his Son Jesus Christ as he is God in his
man into his own house Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew and the earth is stayed from her fruit like unto that in Deut. The heaven that is over thy head shall be brasse and the earth that is under thy feet shall be iron But afterward he speaks comfortably The glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former saith the Lord of Hosts And in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts And again consider now from this day and upward from the foure and twenday of the ninth moneth even from the day that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid consider it From this day will I blesse you Jehosophot and Hezekiah are two Witnesses of this truth The Lord was with Jehosophat because he walked in the first wayes of his father David and sought not to Balaam but sought to the Lord God of his father walked in his Commandements and not after the doings of Israel therefore the Lord established the Kingdome in his hand and all Judah brought 〈◊〉 Jehosophat presents he had riches and honour in abundance c. Hezekiah teacheth the Levits themselves this Lesson that for trespasses of this kind the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah Jerusalem he had delivered them to trouble to astonishment and to hissing There be as many pregnant examples of this truth in the book of God as of any other but he who desireth a full Commentary or Sermon upon this point of the Text let him read the 2 Chap. of the book of the Judges and he shall see the ebbing and flowing of prosperity peace and safety according to the course of Religion The reason of it is because where true Religion hath not place there is nothing but prophanenes uncleannesse excesse oppression violence deceit and falshood The lawes of men may doe some hurt for repressing outrages but how shall the floods be dried up unlesse the fountaines be obstructed There is great difference betwixt outward restraint from man and inward mortification from God Where Religion taketh place men neither dare nor will commit sinne and doth not the wrath of God for these things come upon the Children of disobedience Men need not in searching out the periods and fatalities of Kingdomes and States trouble themselves with the intricat numbers of Plato Predictions of Astrologers or particular Prophesies {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} impiety iniquity luxury which must needs have place where true Religion hath nor place are causes for which the Lord bringeth alterations upon Kingdomes By this we may easily discern who are Malignants and Enemies to the peace and prosperity of the Kingdome Religion is the touchstone Such as are mockers of the Reformation of Religion and of their owne lives have brought on and hold on this heavy wrath but they who desire endeavour the Reformation setling of Religion are in the right way to bring honor and happinesse upon the Kingdome of the King and his Sonnes It is a damnable and cursed policy by dispencing with any thing which God hath commanded to be done for his house to seek after peace and deliverance It was the policy of Jeroboam it turned to his ruine It was the policy of the Jewes and it brought their City and Nation to desolation In this thou walkest contrary to God and therefore God will walk contrary to thee Thou thinkâ—st to turn away wrath by the neglect of Religion of the house of God but God hath said that wrath shall be upon the Kingdome unlesse what he hath commanded be done for his house Art thou wiser then he or art thou stronger then he will thou against the will of God against the experience of all ages against thy owne conscience run in a way contrary to Gods way Salvation shall come to the people of God and his house shall be built but thou thy house which thou makest an Idoll and preferrest to the house of God shall certainly perish God will not he mocked I must therefore take the boldnesse according to the charge and trust committed unto me at this time in the name of God to exhort in the bowels of Jesus Christ to intreat that the house of God be diligently looked unto and that first of all Religion be reformed and setled No man must be of Gallio's temper to care for none of those things as if they were but light matters in comparison of civill and secular affaires or as if they were impertinent for him Nothing in the world that doth concern thine owne private or the state and publike is of so great weight importance nothing so pressing pertinent as this of Religion No man must be of Gamaliels temper he was a grave learned and peaceable man of great esteem amongst the people yet his counsell was crafty corrupt unchristian somewhat in it was good he aimed at peace he laid this ground that the work was either of God or of man and what was of man would come to nought and what was of God could not be overthrowne But in this very corrupt that he would have us to judge of Religion by particular events and that we should do nothing for the advancement of a good cause but leave it to the providence of God His arguments were fitted to his purpose but true Religion is neither a matter of fancy as was that of Theudas nor of sedition as was that of Judas of Galile and therefore all men ought to bend themselves to the setling thereof by all good and lawfull means Nor must yee in this work linger or delay upon any consent or concurrence whatsoever It is true where matters are darke or doubtfull yee should seek for light and resolution and yee have to that end a learned and godly Assembly but where matters are clear manifest if yee lye still waiting for the consent of others yee are like to lose both the opportunity and the thing it selfe as many have done and repâ—â—ted themselves too late There be some things whâ—â—â—in we are subject to God alone and in thiâ—â— of this kind we are not to wait for counsell or câ—â—sent from others It was the saying of Dioclesian 〈◊〉 a good and wise Emperour is often-sold by his Couâ—ers who have a guard about his eares and traduce goâ—â—men forevill and commend evill men for good As Baâ—â—am dealt not faithfully with God so the messengers 〈◊〉 unto him did deale unfaithfully with King Balaaâ— It also true that as at Rome so in other places patres 〈◊〉 scripti are sometimes patres circumscripti Nor must feare opposition or enmity and thereby trouble to 〈◊〉 State while Yee are seeking after Reformation Whâ—â—Cassander one of the successors of Alexander was pâ—â—swading them to receive Alexander to be worshipped â—mongst their Gods and that if they refused he would â—â—nounce war against them Demades their Orator to them that it was to be feared while they were holdâ— the heavens they should lose the earth But I change 〈◊〉 words with Peter Martyr that it is to be feared ne 〈◊〉 Rempublicam terrenam curatis defenditis nimium 〈◊〉 lum amittatis while Yee stand for the State that Yâ—â— lose Religion If Zerubabell Ezra or Nehemiah had dâ—layed the building of the house of God upon the opposition of enemies or because there was Lyons and Forâ— in the way the worship of God had never bin set up 〈◊〉 Religion reformed but the builders with one of theâ—â— hands wrought in the worke in the other hand held weapon In this posture I leave you till the house of the Lord be built amongst you your swords be turned into plough-shares and your speares into pruning-hookâ— that is till truth peace be established in your borders The Zeale of the Lord of Hosts will performe it To him be praise for ever Amen FINIS The Lord worketh diversly upon the hearts of men a Dan. 4.4 5. b Dan. 5.5 c Num. 24.10 d John 11.49 50. e Gen. 37. Dan 2. 4 5. 7. c. f Acts 9. g Gen. 31. h Act. 4.27.28 i Gen. 33. k Joseph antq Judaic. lib. 11. c. 8. The Text divided l Ezra 10.2 The wrath of God laid open m Psal. 103. Rom. 1.18 Deut. 32.22 In the hight and depth thereof n Gen. 2.1 o Gen. 2.4 Vse 1. p Heb. 10.30.31 q 2 Sam. 24.14 r Exod. 34.14 s Deut 29 2â— t Ezek. 5.13 Vse 2. u Exod. 32. x 1 Kin. 19.10 y Acts 17.16 z Pet. 2.8 a Rev. 3.16 b Rom. 12.11 In the bredth thereof c 2 Sam. 24 1 Kin. 21. d Prov. 28.2 e 1 Sam. 12.25 f 1 Sam. 35.31 In the length thereof g Numb. 1â— h Exod. 14. i 2 Sam. 12.9.10 Vse Matth. 23.35 The meâ—nes to avert and prevent the wrath of God The first mean The second mean The third mean Jer. 34. Considerations about the third mean 1. The Rule of Reformation Vse 2. The extent of Reformation * 2 Chron. 15.7 * Isa 27.9 Isa. 1.26 27.28 Galat. 5.7 8 9. Vse 3. The manner of going about Reformation * Pro. 10 26. Pro. 27.8 Reasons hereof The first Reason Isa. 6.1 2 3 4. Isa. 46.1 Reason 2. Esth. 1.22 Isa. 45.14 Ezek. 48.35 Vse 2. The third part of the Text Pro. 22.3 Hag. 1.9 10. Deut. 28.23 Hag. 2.9 Hag. 2.18 19. 2 Chr. 17 3 4 5 6. 2 Chr. 29 6 7 8 9 10 11. Judges 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Acts 18.14 15 16 17.