truly be laid to our charge as it is charged on Israel That the people turne not to him that smiteth them neither doe they seake the Lord of Hostes But as it is said of Israel elsewhere it may truly be said of England â—os 7.10 that the pride of Israel testifieth to his face and they doe not returne unto the Lord God nor seeke him for all this That is notwithstanding all warnings menaces corrections and severe punishment they are not bettered they yeild neither to words nor blower but hold on their sinfull course continue obstinate although grievously afflicted and oppressed and that their pride doth testifie to their face they are evidently convinced of it In this pride they did slight and contemne all warnings which is an argument of intolerable pride indeed They were admonished reproved and warned yet did not regard it I wish it were not true of us who have bin for many yeeres together admonished warned for as Ieremiah speaks of the people of his time The Lord hath sent unto you all his Servants the Prophets rising early and sending them but ye have not hearkned nor inclined your eare to heare Jer. 25.4 5. TheÌ„ he sheweth what their message was They said turne you againe now every one from his evill way and from the evill of your doings and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever c. Then he sheweth what use they made of this admonition and message and that is in the seventh Verse Yet ye have not hearkened unto me saith the Lord Ver. 7. that ye might provoke me to anger with the worke of your hands unto your owne hurt But of this more in the next point Thus much of the second Doctrine I proceed now unto the third and last which is this Doct. 3 Israel smitten for his sinnes and not returning and seeking the Lord of Hosts moveth God to continue his anger and to stretch forth his smiting hand still This Doctrine I chiefly intended as that which may be sutable unto the time and usefull to us all the worst is I feare I shall not have time to speake so fully unto it I shall therefore doe as a traveller that is likely to be belated passe over such things as are not of necessity and post over the next way unto what I principally intend The Doctrine may be propounded in thesi as well as the former or we may propose it in hypothesi it will be usefull either way if you please you may take it thus When God is angry with Israel or any people in Covenant and smiteth them with the sword of an enemy for their sinnes if they doe not returne and seeke the Lord of Hosts God will continue his anger and stretch forth his hand still I conceive the Doctrine for the ground to be so cleare and for meaning so plaine as I need not waste time which we shall want in Explication or proofe For the ground of it briefly let this be observed that whereas in the former verse he had avouched God to be angry still and still to stretch forth his hand to smite although they had been grievously smitten before he sheweth this to be the cause and just ground of the continuance of anger and smiting namely that they doe not turne to him that smiteth nor seeke c. so that this reason in its relation doth hold forth the Doctrine that when God â—s angry with Israel or any people in Covenant and smiteth them with the sword of an enemie for their sinne if they returne not neither seeke the Lord of Hosts he will continue his anger and stretch forth his destroying hand still And for the sence only in generall for I have not time to speak of the termes in particular when the Lord brings the sword upon a people to cause them to repent and returne unto him they continuing impenitent and obstinate not repenting of their sinne and yeelding unto him the Lord will not cease to be angry he will not be appeased nor cease to punish but will goe on and multiply and make his strokes more and heavier then they were before for so much is implyed when he saith His hand is stretched fâ—rth still 〈◊〉 Parata ad graviores poenas infligendas His hand is ready to inflict more heavie and grievous punishments Now although I might spare further proofe of the Doctrine I shall point you to a place or two and hast unto the Use That obstinacie under punishment and smiting doth cause anger to continue yea and punishment to increase is manifest by that Levit. 26.17 18. And I will set my face against you and ye shall be â—aine before your enemies they that hate you shall reigne over you c. then ver 18. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me then will I punish you seven times more for your sinnes Whore you see such as are smitten and doe not become obedient shall feele the hand of God seven times heavier then it was before In the Prophecy of Amos Chapt. 4. throughout the latter part of the Chapter from ver 6. you have a cleare proofe of this point especially ver 12. where as some understand that place Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel that is I shall bring the punishments before mentioned and more heavie and grievous even ruine and destruction because they had been punished with lesser punishments and would not turne unto the Lord therefore this would he doe Reason 1 But I passe from the proofe and come briefly to note the reasons of the Doctrine why anger and smiting should be continued and increased first it is still continued because the cause and discase doth still continue there is the same reason of the continuance of Physicke and meanes to cure the body as there was of entering such a course if the disease doe still continue and the same reason of continuing corrosives to a sore as to apply them at first if proud or dead flesh do still continue the same reason of correcting a second time as there was of a former correction if an offender continue to offend and this is true whether the strokes are for punishment or correction Reas 2 Secondly their sinne is now more sinfull and therefore deserveth more anger and calleth for greater punishment For first they improve not the meanes used for their good but abuse the meanes and take the Name of God in vaine Secondly they adde contumacy to their sinne and shew themselves to be obstinate so as their sinne is another sin in the nature of it although the same in the matter for now they refuse to receive correction and make their faces harder then a rocke Jer. 5.3 and refuse to returne as was before noted out of the Prophet Thirdly they shew their love unto their sinne and delight in it to be greater In operationibus malis
man that is wrath who had bin smiting heavy stroakes and yet by his countenance and hand stretched foorth still to strike doth shew himselfe notwithstanding the blowes already given to be no lesse angry then before Neither are they safe as they verily imagine but still more and heavier stroakes hang over their heads which they shall by no meanes escape Now whereas this might seeme strange that the Lord should be so exceedingly moved against his people that the cause might be knowne and God justified in his judgement the words of the Text are added so as if any make question or desire satisfaction concerning this continuance of his smiting and anger against Israel he may hereby understand there is cause enough For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them although they have bin grievously smitten to the end they might returne and seeke the Lord of Hostes yet they are so obstinate and so impenitent and pertinacious as they will not for all that returne but doe more provoke the wrath of God against them The word translated for being Vau in Hebrew doth properly signifie And but is variously used and as some Gramarians have observed in well neere 40 severall significations and sometimes is causall and doth signify for or because And in this place the most interpretors take it as causall and not copulative and being so taken you see the words shew the cause why the Lord would not take off his heavy hand nor turne away his wrath from Israel Namely because the people were soe stubborne and shamelesse as they would by no meanes be brought to repentance and conversion and therefore it was most just and equall that the Lord should not give them over and as it were give place and way unto them in their wickednes but as they went on in sinning so he should goe on in smiting them still untill at length they were utterly destroyed So that these words are not so much a prediction as a commination yea an accusation letting them know that it was most just that the Lord should goe on in punishment because they did still goe on in sinne and therefore howsoever there might be some intermission yet no dismission out of his hand which is stretched out still The words are considerable by themselves and in their relation unto what went before In themselves they conteine an heavy inditement against Israel in which this heighnous crime is charged upon them that they were growne so obstinate as they could neither be drawne by mercies nor driven by judgements to turne and seeke the Lord of Hostes from whome they had turned away by their sinnes such was their impenitency and obstinacy their mindes and hearts in their Apostacy so alienated from God as though they had bin smitten with heavy and very grievous stroakes and their misery such as they could neither avoide nor indure yet they would not take notice of Gods hand so as to turne from their sinne no nor so much as seeke the Lord of Hostes and crave pardon and seeke helpe at his hand For this last branch seemeth to bee a further aggravation of their obstinacy intimating that they were so farre from repentance and conversion as that they did not so much as seeke unto the Lord of Hostes that smote them Now in their relative consideration they set forth how just it is with God to goe on still to be angry and still to stretch forth his punishing hand not ceasing to smite till ruine and utter desolation come upon them In the words there are these particulars especially considerable First who smote Israel noted in the relative him and expressed in the last branch of the Text the Lord of Hostes Secondly why and to what end he smote them both implyed in the word turne they were smitten because they had turned from him and that they might be brought to turne againe unto him Thirdly what use they made of this smiting what fruite it had among them and that was as little as might be for they turned not to him c. this smiting to them was fruitlesse and vaine Fourthly how ill it was taken and what hurt this obstinacy and impenitency of theirs did procure unto them and that is not onely the reproofe of the Prophet but the continuance of the anger of God and the stretching forth of his hand still to strike them with more and much heavier stroakes For all this c. So that these wordes if they should be largely handled might furnish our observations with at least these six severall Doctrines as implyed or expressed in the words First That the eternall God is the Lord of Hostes Secondly That Israel smitten by their enemies in warre it is the Lord that smiteth them Thirdly The cause of the destroying sword among them was their departing from the Lord by their sinne Fourthly The end of smiting was that they might returne and seeke the Lord of Hostes Fifthly Israel was obstinate and impenitent so as they did refuse to turne and seeke the Lord. Sixthly This obstinacy and impetinency did greatly provoke the Lord to anger and was the cause of the continuance of his anger and stretching forth his hand to smite them still But because it will be impossible to speake of more then the one halfe of these Doctrines within the compasse of the time I shall reduce theÌ„ unto these three Conclusions and only touch upoÌ„ some of the other as occasion shall serve in some of the Uses and because that which is here spoken of Israel doth also belong unto any other people whose case may be paraleld with theirs I shall propound and handle these Doctrines rather in thesi then hypothesi thus First That Israel or any people in covenant smitten with the sword of an enemy It is the Lord that smiteth them Secondly It is an heinous and greivous provoking sinne for a people when they are thus smitten not to turne and seeke the Lord of Hostes Thirdly That Israel or any people continuing thus obstinate and impenitent is the cause of the continuance of God his anger and the increase of their punishment These are the Doctrines which as I conceive will be most suitable and usefull and therefore of them as time shall give leave and God shall assist And first I beginne with the first Doct. 1 When Israel or any people are smitten by their enemies in warre it is the Lord that smiteth them When a people is smitten with the sword of a forraigne or domestick enemy it is the Lord that smiteth them The Doctrine will be of use especially for way unto the rest Someâ—hing must therefore be spoken of it although we shall be more briefe in this and more large in the rest Now this first Doctrine for the sence of it I suppose it is so cleare to every one of ordinary capacity as I shall not need to spend time in explication And for the ground it will be no lesse evident unto any that shall
hardly any in which there hath bin more turning then now for men are like weathercocks turning about with every winde of Doctrine some turne Papists some Arminians some turne Socinians some Anabaptists some Antinomians some loose Libertines some Epicures some Malignants and some as the dog to his vomit and sow to the wallowing in the mire Some who seemed to have left Egypt and forsaken Babilon as many did with Israel and to have led the way in a glorious profession yet have looked back and with Demas imbraced this present world Fourthly You may go farther and find men yet worse and farther off from turning for there is a generation of men that in practise and open profession in conversation and resolution that neither say nor doe returne not to God but resolve as they Ier. 44.15 16. they will not doe what the Lord calleth for but whatsoever thing goeth out of their owne mouth c. they in the very height of rebellion take up armes of hostile opposition against that unto which this smiting doth summon them and how fearefull the condition of such incorrigible rebels is you may heare from many Scriptures such as Prov. 29.1.1 Sam. 2.25 Fifthly and finally there is yet an higher degree of aversion from this duty in another ranke of men who are so farre from returning themselves as they labour by all meanes of evill counsâ—â—l corrupt example and encouragement to abbet others in their sinfull course and to with-hold such as they perceive to be bent or inclinable to returne men so vile as they make it their worke to draw as many as they may from this duty there are and not a few such masters parents neighbours kindred acquaintance and pretended friends among us I would there were none or but a very few such of our owne tribe Ministers guilty of an offence so heinous in any and most odious in them unto such I should commend the consideration of that of the Prophet Ieremiah I have seen also in the Prophets of Ierusalem an horrible thing Jâ—â— 23.14 they commit adultery and walke in lyes they streng then also the hands of evill doers that none doth returne from his wickednesse c. If you shall consider how many there are that will be found faulty and guilty in the premisses it will be more then manifest that whatsoever may be done by a small remnant the body of our people turne not unto him that smiteth them nor doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts And so much for the Use of Information and Conviction in which I have been the more large to make way unto the practicall Uses of this Doctrine Vse 3 The third Use of the Point is Humiliation unto which we shall adde another of Exhortation and so conclude This Doctrine considered with the former Uses may be just ground of Humiliation and mourning a duty sutable to the day and agreeable to the times in which we live The day is a day of mourning and fasting the times we are cast upon are sinfull sad and sorrowfull times such as may make us mourne with a great and very sore lamentation Psal 102. and with the Prophet to eat ashes like bread and mingle our drinke with weeping yea teares may be our meat day and night Psal 42.3 Joel 1.12 for Joy seemeth to be cleane withered from the sonnes of men if the Causes we have to mourne were well observed and considered they might make us blush and bleed causing if it were possible rivers of teares to trickle downe our eyes The Causes are many I shall present you with some few yet such as if we have either the grace of Christians or the nature of men will move us to mourning who can thinke upon the desolation of Germany without lamentation or if we could not see so farre cast an eye upon Ireland neerer hand and see it wallowing in its own bloud and bleeding it selfe to death unlesse helpe come from Heaven to prevent it What child can see his father smiting and breaking the bones of his brethren and not weep But if the desolations of Germany and miseries of Ireland will not affect us let us at the least behold our own calamity with teares England is smitten with such a stroke as may move all to mourne over her that beare any true love unto her she is under one of God his sore judgements mentioned Ezek. 14.21 yea the very sorest of those sore judgements the sword in the hand of men Ezek. 14.21 an heavier judgement then in the hand of a destroying angel and as warre is worse then pestilence so civill warre the worst warre of all other in which with every stroke the Kingdome doth hurt and endeavour to destroy it selfe which is a sad spectacle for strangers to behold if any of us at any time see a poore man in an Epilepsie or sit of the falling sicknesse lye beating himselfe against the ground biting his owne tongue and bestowing all his strength to raise himselfe up that he might with greater violence cast himselfe downe againe to the wounding and breaking of himselfe beating the breath out of his body as it may fall out Such a man may not onely bruise his flesh or breake his bones but destroy himselfe could we in this case doe lesse then lament this mans condition although a meer stranger or if we should see any man so bereaved of sence or desperately bent by delyrancy or any other cause as he should wound stabbe and by all meanes endeavour to destroy himselfe one hand wounding the other or both of them stabbing him in his own bowels and at last if not hindered in the head or very heart who unlesse without all bowels but must needs be affected much with the condition of such a man our Kingdome is at this time in the condition of a man in an Epilepsie and doth beate bruise and by all the strength it hath endeavour to undoe and destroy it selfe it is so delyrant by the just judgement of God as it doth studie its owne ruine one hand wounding the other and both stabbing it in the bowels and at the very heart unlesse the Lord shall graciously prevent it Now if there be cause of sorrow to see one man and a stranger in such a condition with what mourning should we looke on such a flourishing Kingdome in sâ—ch a condition who can thinke of so many men loosing their liâ—es and not knowing what becommeth of their immortall soules many of them as it is to be feared being unfit to dye but must needes mourne Yet this is not all the cause of Humiliation and mourning if we looke up higher from earth to Heaven from men to God we shall see further and greater cause of mourning and that is that Heaven lowreth upon us and the God of Heaven is angry with us his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still yea by looking into the cause of this continued anger in a
Die Mercurii 25. Septembr 1644. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Colonell Ven Colonell Long and Sir Robert Harley doe from this House give Thankes to Master Proffet for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached this day at the intreaty of the said Commons at S. Margarets Westminster it being the day of Publike Humiliation and to desire him to print his Sermon And it is orde ed That none shall presume to print his Sermon without licence under his hand writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I doe appoint Christopher Meredith to print my Sermon NICOLAS PROFFET ENGLANDS IMPENITENCIE UNDER SMITING Causing anger to continue and the destroying hand of God to be stretched forth still Set out in a SERMON preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at a Publike Fast Sept. 25. 1644. By Nicolas Proffet late Rector of Peters in Marlebrough now Minister of Edminton and one of the Assembly of DIVINES Published by Order from that House Jer. 9.12 Who is the wise man that may understand this and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken That he may declare it for what the land perisheth c. LONDON Printed by George Miller for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1645. TO THE HONOVRABLE House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT WHen I understood you had pleased to designe mine unworthy self to this weighty service of preaching at your publike Fast Although I could not but apprehend it a work far above my fitnesse yet might I not think of flying from it with Jonah or making objections against it with Moses for your power and his providence Brod. 3 1â— and 4 10 13. who is higher then the highest meeting together in this appointment made it both impossible and unlawfull to desert the service And indeed these calamitous times that are come upon us doe call upon all men to shew themselves willing if they have any hope they may be able to doe any thing for a perishing Kingdome to use their best endeavours with all alacrity unto that end That noble resolution of the souldier so much commended is most worthy imitation of whom it is reported That having lost both armes and legs in services and having nothing but the trunke of his body remaining to him yet would needs be in the breach If saith he I can doe no other thing yet perhaps I may keep off a blow or blunt the edge of some sword drawne to the foyling and wounding of some other although he had neither hands nor feet he wanted not an heart to do what he could and shewed himself willing when he was able to doe little how meane soever our abilities are the times will permit none to be silent that are called to speake nor idle who are called to work The lion saith Amos hath roared who will not feare Amos. 3. â— the Lord hath spoken who can but prophecie I did unfeignedly desire to speake a word in season and thought no subject more sutable then what might serve unto that end whereat you aime which is to divert anger and prevent utter ruine I therefore made choice of such a Scripture as did discover the cause of our continued miseries and so did direct unto the cure of this wounded and languishing Nation by removing that cause the great core is impenitencie under smiting The people turn not to him that smiteth them For upon the one hand there are the divisions of Reuben causing great and sad thoughts of heart and on the other the stupidity and profannesse of the multitude which causeth great droopings of spirit these things doe sadden the hearts of the Seers and servants of God and doe fill many with feare and doubt as well as sorrow and griefe seeing how little this last meanes doth prevaile with either party 〈◊〉 Hom. â—8 〈…〉 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hard to say what sin hath been forsaken of the multitude since God began to smite the Kingdome as farre as I can discerne some sins are rather much increased then at all abated as namely that of drunkennesse a sin so much the more to be lamented abhorred and restrained as it is more unseemly in it self more unsutable with the present condition of the Kingdome and more unsufferable where reformation should begins for it is I doubt too true which Chrysost hath briefly noted of this sin that nothing is a neerer friend to the divell than it and that it is the fountaine and mother of all other vices that by which the Divell drew the Hebrewes of old into idolatry c. and that which doth make swine of men and men worse than swine the sow doth wallow in the mire and is nourished with dung but such spread a more abominable table for themselves thinking upon impure mixture and wicked loves yea they are as men possessed with the Divell and whereas they are the object of our pitie these of our hatred because they of their owne accord bring fury and madnesse upon themselves neither is there any more filthy thing then a drunken woman These and such like passages he hath there and elsewhere with many other of the antient and latter Divines which I mention because we live in such times as have farre more tollerable thoughts of this sinne which is so common among us and committed openly in the sight of the Sunne and not thought to be in the number of those vices which might occasion shame It were to be wished that in asmuch as no instructions nor admonitions will worke on such men the bluenesse of the wound might be applyed which is a purging medicine for such like evils Prov. 20.30 which while they raigne there will be little hope of any thing tending to a through Reformation found in such men Now the way to turne away anger and to stay the destroying hand is to cause the people to turne to him that smiteth them this most noble and renowned Senatours is that which this wounded and much weakned Kingdome calleth for at the hands of her State-Physitians and being dangerously sicke of her wounds which seeme mortall if they be not speedily cured she cryeth unto you from all quarters of the land as the man in the Gospell unto Christ in behalfe of his son which had a dumb spirit Mark 9.17 and 21. that did oftimes cast him into the fire and water to destroy him If you can doe any thing have compassion on us and helpe us This is a worke worthy your wisest endeavours if it may be to become healers of a distressed Kingdome unto which if this meane piece might contribute the least mite the unworthy Author should have his end in choosing this Text preaching and publishing this Sermon which is now although somewhat late presented to your view sooner it should have been but being much mistaken in the time of preaching it by reason of the silence of the clock I was
boldly venture upon it but what shewes soever it maketh to the contrary we shall finde it a fawning enemy a sweet poyson and a deadly serpent it may be sweet in the mouth but it will be bitter in the belly as Iob 20.12 Though wickednesse bee â—reet in the mouth of the sinner 〈…〉 though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouthe â—â—t his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him And as the Prophet Ier. 2.19 It is an evill thing and a bitter to forsake the Lord. This Dalilah this Absalom so much affected beloved and delighted doth provoke God to anger and draw down punishment upon us sinne sets Heaven against us keepeth good things from us if famine warre pestilence or any other judgement seize on the land we may thanke sinne for it which is the only procuring cause of it God smote Israel for their sinfull forsaking him and he smote them that they might returne if this were well considered we should not so easily entertaine and imbrace this hatefull enemie presenting it selfe unto us in friendly and delightfull shapes but we look on sinne as a tender mother on the fruit of her wombe smiling upon her and representing nothing but what is delightfull unto it whereas looking upon that tender infant through the Prospective of Gods Word she might see are bell a traitor a serpent full of deadly poyson and which may prove a Iudas another Absalom if not renewed or restrained by Grace thus sinne lookt upon through the Word although in the shape of pleasure profit c. yet it is that which doth cause the Lord to be angry and in anger to smite us with bloody strokes of the destroying sword Vse 2 In the next place this Doctrine may further informe us of Gods mercy in his heavy and grievous Iudgements God smiteth that they might returne unto him his aime and indeavour is to doe Israel or another people good by smiting them he would not come to blowes at all if words would serve the turne or any warning be taken but if words will not if no warning may serve then the rod must open the eare and if it may make us returne it is howsoever from the wisedome and goodnesse of God that a sinfull people are smitten for hereby he applyeth an healing hand unto such as would perish without such meanes used for their good This is that must recover them if they be not incurable for it is the phisick which his owne wisdome hath found out and prescribed to us in recovering such as we have under our hands Pro. 22.15 Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it farre from him And therefore Pro. 23.13 Correction must not be withheld from the child for if he be beaten with the rod he shall not dye and in the next verse Thou shalt beate him with the rod and shalt deliver his soule from hell So that to use the rod is to shew love and care for the childs good But to spare the rod is to hate the sonne And he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Pro. 13.24 God doth exercise his Fatherly goodnesse even in smiting that he may cause men to turne to him smiting them That of Hab. 1.12 Is worthy Observation Art thou not from everlasting O Lord my God mine holy one we shall not die thou hast ordained them for judgement and O mighty God thou hast established them for correction Where he sheweth how that although God suffered the enemies of his people to spoyle them yet he was their God and kept his Covenant with them by noting the manner and end of such a smiting he sheweth that the Lord doth order and dispose them by his providence and that he had a gracious end in such strokes not to kill but to correct them and finally there was a measure in the manner of his smiting his people by their enemies as the word Judgement doth imply they had bounds set which they could not passe Vse 3 A third Vse of this Doctrine may be to informe us concerning the use and improvement of this smiting hereby a nation and so a particular person may see whether they have made a right use of the strokes of warre or any other judgement If they have caused us to turne to him that smiteth us and that we have bin brought to learne obedience Heb. 5.8 as our Lord did by the things which he suffered and that as David saith of himselfs Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word thus if the Land can say and the inhabitants of it looking unto the cause of the controversy of God Hose 4.1 2. The cause of the controversy with Israel is the want of truth mercy and the knowledge of God And because by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and comitting adultery they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud There are many other sinnes which move God to be Angry with Israel some of which we noted in the Context these are for instance now if a man can say before these warres began I was a lyer but now have I cast off lying and speake the truth I was a cruell man but now am full of bowells of mercy and tender affection and humanity I was ignorant and Atheisticall without the feare of God in my heart but now have I gotten some knowledge and feare of God into my soule and so of the rest I did use profanely to Sweare made no conscience of Lying and other Sinnes but now I feare an oath speake truth and am tender of the life and just in the dealing with the state of my neighbour c. Surely this man may be said to have profited by this judgement which is become a correction unto him for his amendment and the like may be said of a nation But if it may be said of such a Nation or person because they were false unjust and ignorant before God smote the land and they are such still they were prophane Swearers before and are such still Lyers before and are Lyers still and so of the rest It is sure such a person or nation hath not made the right and true use of such stroakes which should have caused them to turne to him that smiteth them Vse 4 The last Vse we shall make of this Doctrine is examination reprehension Israel did not turne to him that smote them It is a heighnous crime laid to their charge and a very great offence The use therefore of this Doctrine by way of resolution would be examination of our selves namely that every one should consider and inquire what doe I what doe we and am not I to be charged justly with some such crime and provoking siâ— may it not be laid to my charge that I turne not to him that smiteth I feare it may too
ab eodem habitu posteriores sunt pejores prioribus Tostat for in evill workes proceeding from the same habit the latter are worse then the former this iteration doth argue delight in offending which therefore doth deserve greater punishment Fourthly this continuance in sinne under smiting is a signe of obstinate malice and wickednesse for such men being thus punished and doe not repent doe apertum bellum cum Deo agore wage open warre with God Reas 3 Thirdly I might adde another reason drawne from the end of smiting which is various according to the condition of the person smitten if the man be wicked and a vessell of wrath the Lord doth smite to glorifie his justice in taking vengeance of his sinne and so he proportioneth punishment unto the nature of the sinne as Psal 58.10 11. God will overcome when he judgeth Rom. 3.4 If he be a vessell of mercy and one that the Lord loveth he will smite him till he make him smart if he doe not attend his pleasure and turne from sinne with lesser strokes the Lord is forced to make them greater till he bring downe their proud heart and make them to yeeld as Psal 107.11 12. they doe rebell against the words of the Lord and contemne the counsels of the most High therefore he bringeth downe their heart with labour they foll downe and there is none to helpe The Lord will breake the pride of their power as he threatneth Levit. 26.19 if the judgement should be removed while the sinne is not left it were judgement and wrath not mercy and grace and so much for the reasons and fitting the Doctrine for Use I come now to the Application This Doctrine thus cleared the Uses might be many and would require much more time then we have for their full proâ—â—cution but we shall contract our selves and apply the point first for Iustruction secondly for Conviction thirdly for Humiltation and finally for Exhortation and Direction And first for Instruction and Information this Doctrine will serve to informe us what the true and maine cause is that our hopes are delayed our expectations not answered endeavours disappointed designes defeated and proceedings which might hasten our peace and happy weale-publike so much retarded you may find many inferiour and lesser causes and give divers politicke reasons but the great and chiefe cause is in truth that in the text the obstinacie and impenitency of the Nation this I say this is the cause why our expectations are not answered why our hopes are blasted our long desired peace is deferred and the smiting hand of God stretched out still his anger continued and not turned away The people turne not unto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts Here it stickes and this is the obstruction the true cause of all our misery the very reason why we obtaine not our long expected mercies we hoped for an happy peace the paths whereof drop fatnesse and that crowneth the yeare with her goodnesse we promised our selves that the day would have come before this time in which we might have seen that verified in the Psalme Mercy and Truth are met together â—al 8â— 1â— Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other Although it must be coâ—â—â—ssed that these expectations did bottome themselves upon Prerogative rather then upon an ordinary way of God his proceeding with a sinfull and unthankfull people and yet our Watchmen and Seers thought verily they heard that voyce of Christ sounding in their eares of which the Church makes report in these words My beloved spake and said unto me Cant. 2.10 11 12. Rise up my love my faire one and come away For lo the winter is past the raine is over and gone The flowers appeare on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land c. they thought they saw all good things flowing in upon us or at least comming towards us But since that we were put into such hopes we have had many feares great and sore troubles have been brought upon the land and it may complaine as the Church Psal 71.20 and 44.19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons and covered us with the shadow of death and still may we complaine of the disappointment of our hopes as they in the Prophet We looked for peace but behold no good came Jer. 8.15 and for a time of health but behold trouble And as it followeth The harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Ver. 20. no although we have fasted and prayed for peace and earnestly besought the God of peace to grant it and that our distractions might be composed that our breaches might be made up our ruines repaired Religion setled that the Lord would be reconciled to the Nation and Prince and people one unto another and doe continue to hold up our hands and lift up our hearts to the throne of Grace for these things summer after summer and yeare after yeare these out sutes have not been as the prayers of Gods people commonly are as the bow of Ionathan which turned not backe and the sword of Saul that returned not empty 2. Sam. 1.22 We have not seen these our prayers returne as the Dove did into the Arke with an Olive branch of a gracious answer in these things I grant which to deny or not to acknowledge unto the glory of God were sinfull ingratitude they have had many gracious answers and grants of such things as we could not have been without to have preserved us from desolation and ruine But in the things before named they have not yet been answered It hath been with us in what we have obtained as with Israel in the wildernesse in the blackest night we have had a pillar of fire and in the brightest day a pillar of a cloud Piety and prosperity and Religion and Peace are not yet met to make us happy now why is it thus and what is the reason where is the obstruction is not God as able as ever his hand as long as ever surely it is but consider the Doctrine â—â—â—m 21.1 and it will be as the Oracle in the three yeares famine yeare by yeare as it certified David there was cause of that famine so this Doctrine will assure us there is a cause of this continuance of anger and smiting and it is as 2 Chron. 20.33 as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers so that the high places were not taken away they did not convert and returne they would not reforme their wayes as in the Text they turne not to him that smiteth them either doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts it is not because God is not the God that heareth prayers or that he cannot save or not afford us mercy this is not the cause why the hand of mercy is pulled in and the hand
being still inwardly impure and corrupt do not humble themselves under the correcting hand of God nor repenting of their sinne do increase and incense the wrath of God more against them so farre are they from being bettered by affliction as by their obstinacy they do yet more provoke the anger of God against them They cry not to God so as they might obtaine pardon grace and help but content themselves with some formalities and outward shewes Austin maketh mention of a sort of foolish women which did use to dresse themselves fine and went to the Capitol and sate there all day long and thought Iupiter was in love with them there are many among us that I feare come hardly so farre as unto the dresse and outward formality of this duty in the dayes of our humiliation and yet thinke God is well pleased with their service who yet keepe themselves close unto their sinnes Vse In the last place if the anger of the Lord be not turned away c. because the people turne not to him that smiteth them It will serve for Exhortation and Direction let this move us as ever we desire the wrath of an angry God should be appeased the bloody streakes of the destroying sword should be stayed and the deadly wounds of a bleeding Kingdome should be cured to turne to him that smiteth us and set our selves to seeke the Lord of Hostes This is the result of all and the principall use of Text and Doctrine impenitency under wrath and smiting causeth their continuance that they may sease let us cease to sinne and to goe on in sinne the Phisition that he may recover his patient of a dangerous distemper doth first find out and then indeavour to remove the cause which is the direct way according to the rule of his art unto the recovery of his patient Our state is in a sicke and dangerous and deadly distemper and this Doctrine sheweth the causes all that wish well unto it that desire to doe any thing for the recovery of it must shew themselves Phisitions of value by removing the causes and so procuring the health and happinesse of it You understand why the anger of God is not turned away why his hand is stretched out still Oh therefore that we might all remove the cause to the utmost of our ability that if it be possible the effect may cease This is the way that God himselfe doth prescribe in many places 〈◊〉 1.2 3 4. I will name but one and it is that in the Prophet Zechariah The Lord hath bin sore displeased with your fathers Therefore say unto them thus saith the Lord of Hostes turne ye unto me saith the Lord of Hostes And I will turne unto you saith the Lord of Hostes Be ye not as your fathers unto whome the former Prophets cryed saying thus saith the Lord of Hostes turne ye now from your evill wayes and from your evill doings but they did not heare nor hearken unto me saith the Lord. Now because this is a duty of great importance and that wherein the aimes of all that are well affected to church state must meete and that whereunto their indeavours should tend I shall propose a few considerations to presse this Use generally upon all and then more particularly recommend it unto some whom it doth more specially concerne I have not tune to inlarge my selfe and to urge both the branches of the Use the chiefe is turning to him that smiteth the other is included in it There are a multitude of motives which might be brought to presse the duty upon our people and to move our nation and us all to turne I name onely these First the authority and power of him unto whom you are exhorted to turne or of him by whom you are summoned and that is the Lord of Hostes you are called upon to repent and convert not by man but by God not such a God as you can either shun or resist for he is the Lord of Hostes stiled the Lord of Hostes in the Text and in that place of Zachariah which was mentioned before he is thrice in one verse called the Lord of Hostes which fearefull title might strike terrour into such as should be found guilty of disobedience in this duty and still refuse to returne Secondly There is a great deale of equity in this duty for by sinne we have turned from him which is the cause of his anger and all our misery Isa 31.6 it is therefore most equall that we returne unto him as our Prophet doth urge this duty in these words turne ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted and the equity of this duty and the iniquity of them that yeeld not unto it is set forth by th◠Lord hin selfe in Jeremiah Jer. 8.4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not arise shall he turne away and not returne intimating how unreasonable and inequitable it is for men to fall by sinne and when they have so done to refuse to rise and returne by repentance againe unto him from whom they fell Thirdly Another motive is drawne from the terminus à quo ad quem from what and unto whom we are to turne which will further open and urge the former motive This conversion is in a word from darkenesse to light from sinne to grace Acts 16.19 from evill to good from sathan unto God It is from the way of sinne which is evill unto the way of righteousnesse which is good from that path which is foule to that which is cleane from a course which is full of feare and danger and losse unto that which is comfortable safe and exceeding advantagious to all that walke in it as you may see Pro. 4.11 18. and Cap. 3.17 22. and 11.3 Psal 117.1 So that as Bern. hath it Dico omnes Deumignorare qui nolunt ad eum converti I say all such are ignorant of God that will not turne unto him they do not know him to be that chiefe good by whom they may be made happy and therefore they doe turne aside unto vaine things that cannot profit Fourthly An other Motive may be the hope we have of turning away the stroakes from the Land and of anger from our selves and that God will be reconciled unto us and we turning to him by repentance he will turne to us in mercy pardon and grace that which you have set forth in many places and that before quoted Zech. 1.3 Turne ye unto me saith the Lord of Hostes and I will turne unto you saith the Lord of Hostes This is sure that the soule which doth truly turne shall find God reconciled to him Never did any make use of this counsell and perish and the Lord will repent him of the evill If men will hearken and turne every man from his evill way Ier. 26.3 Jonah 3. ult Fifthly For our farther incouragement the experience we have had of
be rid of evill company and that he may be freed from such temptations as will still keep him in some one or other evill way 5. Lastly because Conversion and Repentance are the work and gift of God unto him we must seek by Prayer and Supplication through Christ that he would please to work that in us which he requireth of us Ier. 31.18 Ephraim there doth thus pray to God Turne thou me and I shall be turned thou art the Lord my God Thus let every one under this chastisement being as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke cry to God Turne thou me and I shall be turned c. and all of us as the Church Lam. 5.21 Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned And when we pray we must put forth our endeavours V tia â—â—le coâ—vers◠〈◊〉 quisi 〈◊〉 cum homiâ—â— habent quando autem exâ—elluntur aâ—riorâ— virtute censurguâ—t Isâ—d and arme our selves against opposition and improve such meanes as serve unto this end Some doe commend unto men converting this direction first to take off themselves from the action of sin and then to deal with the appetite and cogitation howsoever they must looke for strong opposition for vices before Conversion are as it were at peace with a man but being opposed and expelled they rise up with more strength and violence Now in the last place this Doctrine may be applied for Exhortation and speciall direction to our Parliament Worthies upon whom it layeth a double charge particularly for themselves and generally for the whole Kingdome If impenitencie and continuance in sin cause the continuance of anger and doth pull downe more and heavier strokes upon our Nation then it must be their endeavour to remove this cause of anger that the anger may be diverted and this heavy judgement removed from the Kingdome Isai 58.12 this is the way for them to become repairers of the breach and restorers of paths to dwell in for if men will return anger will cease and the quarrell would soone be at an end but if the cause of wrath still continue we cannot expect that the destroying hand should be drawne in but that it should be stretched out still Upon you therefore honourable and beloved this Use falleth with a double weight the Doctrine requireth for the removing of the strokes with which the land is smitten and preventing of heavier ready to fall upon it that you see that none of your owne sinnes under smiting that your not turning from them doe not cause the anger of God to continue and that being Physitians of the State such as are in places of power you endeavour by all possible meanes to cause the people to turne to him that smiteth them that removing the cause wheresoever you finde it this miserable effect may cease turning your selves from whatsoever may be found to be a part of the cause and endeavouring as much as in you lyeth to cause the whole Kingdome to turne from their sinnes also that anger may be appeased and smiting stayed and cease It is not to be doubted it hath been your desire and care and is your endeavour to make others to returne you have used meanes to that end and have therefore sent Ministers into many places where they were wanting to call upon men to returne and to remove such as have been idle unfaithfull and scandalous And yet his anger is not turned away c. the people for all this doe not turn to him that smiteth them I should humbly present unto your wise considerations whether something further be not to be done to cause the people to returne Salomon Prov. 29.19 telleth you that a servant will not be corrected with words Men of a servile disposition will not be amended by so easie meanes as bare instructions be they never so wholsome and good They will not answer the expectation of such as shall bestow their paines upon them And the Holy Ghost Iude ver 22 23. sheweth that men must be variously dealt with according to their various disposition â—nd of some saith he have compassion making a difference And others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Compassion is to be used towards some and severity towards others that if it be possible they may be pulled out of the fire men must be dealt with for the saving of their soules as Chirurgions are wont to deale with their Patients for the saving their lives if lenitives and more gentle meanes will not serve corrosives cauterizings and the like must be used God himselfe doth take the rod into his hand when the Word is contemned and if lighter strokes will not serve he hath heavier blowes for those that be impenitent That the people may be brought to returne instructions and corrections must be used Magistrate and Minister the Word and Sword in mâ—â— be joyned there are many grievous sinnes among us which have provoked the wrath of God against the Land and from which the people should turne that his anger may be turned a way and his destroying hand taken off from the Nation many that have been complained off â—y others that I have no time nor intention to name I shall onely represent some few which are more common and obvious and withall more impudent and scandalous humbly intreating that some course which seemeth best to your wisedomes may be used to suppresse them and to cause the people if it be possible to turn from them as First the great neglect of the duty of these daies of Humiliation which many especially in the Countrey do not only slight and dis-regard but abuse profane spending the day or a great part of it in Alehouses â—nd Tavernes or about their worldly imployment as if it were indifferent to come or not to come to the publike Assemblies â—o seek or to provoke the Lord of Hosts Secondly the horrible profanation of the glorious and dreadfull Name of God by execrations blasphemies and bloudy oaths a sinne that doth excâ—edingly abound and under which the land doth grievously mourne Thirdly The sottish and swinish sinne of drunkennesse by which men and women make themselves like beasts rather then Christians and yet in these times of smiting it doth so abound as hardly can men walk the streets but to their griefe they shall see of both sexes reele and vomit in a brutish manner without controule Fourthly the hatefull sinne of pride Isai 3.16 17 18 c. especially of women against whom our Prophet hath spent a good part of a Chapter and elegantly set forth the levitie and vanitie of the women of his time and withall how this sinne did provoke God and pull downe such a judgement as this land is under for he doth threaten warre and declare that these men should fall by the sword and their mighty men in the warre ver 25. yet some among us as if they durst out-dare Heaven it selfe doe come into the presence of an angry God in the dayes of Humiliation with naked brests and such vaine attire as doe openly discover that lightnesse and wantonnesse which is shamefull and unsufferable Fifthly there are many other sinnes such as Sabbath-breaking oppression c. of which I thought to have spoke something if the time would have given leave but I shall onely name one thing more which might much further this worke and that is that some course may be taken for the purging of the Magistracy that as scandalous Ministers so ill Justices and scandalous Magistrates may be removed and those that be zealous and pious put in their places for there will be little hope if sinne be set up to correct vice and they that turne from God themselves shall stand in the places of those that should cause others to turne that the worke of Reformation will ever goe forward the former or other sinnes be suppressed and the land purged of them A faithfull Magistracy and a paâ—nefull Ministery may doe much more together then either of them can do apart I beseech you that some course may be taken such as to your wisdomes may seeme best to put life into Lawes and Ordinances that they may not be suffered to sleep and wicked men to sinne but that they may be constrained to breake off these sinnes which doe so highly provoke God and so much hinder our Peace It is noted of King Josiah that having made a Covenant to walk before the Lord 2 Chro. 34.31 â— and to keep his Commandements c. he caused all that were present or were found in Jerusalem and Benjamine to stand to it i. e. as some read and expound it he constrained them by Royall Power and Authoritie c. this is the way to remove the cause of our misery and to save your selves and the Nation at least to discharge your owne duty to performe a most acceptable service to your God and therefore in the words of David unto Salomon when he had shewed his care and preparation for the building the house of the Lord and the worke that was before him let me make bold to exhort you to this duty and sue to God for successe Arise therefore â— Châ—o 22.16 and be doing and the Lord be with you FINIS