of the fury of his anger which is not yet turned away but his hand stretcht out still Surely then we may know by that sad token the duty is not yet done which the Lord will have done by us before he hath done with us he grants the Land may mourn to him and yet no man lay it to heart so that there is something more to be done then hath been done yet which we shall doe well to enquire after and to that purpose give leave to your unworthy remeÌ„brancer in Gods name to demand Is it done or is it not done lay your hands on your hearts and feele and answer whether these sins premised and this duty required have been laid to heart doe you know what God hath done and our land hath suffered since this great breach hath let in the robbers and spoilers upon us What a strange question you wil say is this to be put to knowing men are the heads of our tribes such strangers in Israel as not to hear and know that which makes the ears and hearts of our State to glow and tingle do not they know what multitudes of men and sums of money have been lavisht and lost amongst robbers and spoilers what hopefull plants of our Gentry and Nobility too have been either cankred or cropt off in the bud what deadly fewds are dayly increased betwixt family and family as if linage and language were to be confounded at once Can other Nations ring of this and ours not know it Can the threats of the sons of violence and the cries of the oppressed scatter the noise of this like so much tempest and thunder and we not hear of it True this is to hear of it by the ear and perhaps at an uncertain sound as many doe that having taken reports upon trust make it matter of discourse others of gain and some make it matter of wit and sport as if fools were seasonabâ—â— in a Tragedy and might have leave to throw darts and say Am I not in sport Shall I praise them that doe this or those amongst us that like and suffer this I praise you not Are Nationall robberies such light matters that Nationall Mercuries may have leave to jeast upon them It was not the Apostles mind but the Corinthians Levity to suffer fools gladly It satisfies not to say that the Court set the kingdome or city on work and that the foole must be answered according to his folly It were safer far to let that folly rest in the bosome where it first began and not to suffer those that should be wiser to fight with the Devill at his own weapons when doubtlesse he will have the ods and the last blow I hope a word in this will be enough to the wise that know this is not the way to lay these things to the heart by tickling the ear with them nay grant we heard these things with the right ear yet is not that enough to work home this duty for the ear may hear more then the eye sees and what the eye sees not we say the heart rues not Yea but some of us you may say are more then ear witnesses of these things we have seen with our eyes enough to make our heartsake we have seen whole Troops and Regiments of as brave and daring men as the earth bears any such as would have made our common adversary tremble to see their courage or fury rather acted in other kingdomes These have we seen to butcher each other in their own countries soyling their land with their own blood as if they meant to make a plentifull harvest for the great destroyer we have seen goodly Lordships plundered and fired upon no greater quarrell but because their owners could not defend them Yea we have seen whole towns upon the like quarrell storm'd and surprised and fired because the Inhabitants durst not or could not be at cost and charges to keep themselves safe within their own wals these are things we have not taken â—pon bare report but our eyes the trustiest sense of all the rest have seen these things and can speak them feelingly as those that have heard with our ears and our eyes have seen them It may be so too yet for al this these things may not be laid to the heart it is true indeed the seeing eye and hearing eare are both the gift of the Lord Prov. 20. 12. but this implies what is said else where that there is an eye that sees not and ear that hears not and yet both wide open and such as can take in sounds and sights very readily and what if there should be such amongst us too that have heard seen as much as can be spoken or heard and are hereby ennbled to write stories and furnish tables with the sad relations of these things O Sirs as eating is not health and drinking is not strength but the means to procure both so the hearing and seeing of these things is not properly the laying of them to heart but the way and means with Gods blessing to doe it the Priest and Levite that past by the wounded traveller in the Gospel may be supposed not only to see the bleeding spectacle but to hear his languishing groans but it was the good Samaritan that properly laid his case to heart that laid him upon his beast poured oyle and wine into his wounds and left him not before some hopes of recovery And hath not our State done this too as far as in them lies have not they took full information of our common calamities sate out many a sad day and night month and some years to consult upon these things and are able for a need to give the world an accompt froÌ„ what quarters this dreadfull storm was first blown in upon us what unhappy constellations and conjunctions are ghest to be the second causes what dammage it hath done by Sea and Land Yea they can tell what goodly grounds this Land-flood hath spoiled and on the other side what durty ditâ—â—es it hath fild good for nothing but to breed toads and Efts In a word they can ghesse who have been gainers and losers by this sorry bargain And truly this is worth the knowing the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush be their cloud by day and pâ—llar of fire by night that their Assemblies may be directed and protected till judgement be brought to victory It is good learning to know Gods wayes in the whirlewind the outgoing of his displeasure in the effects and happy they that can make good advantage of them so but happier they that know them in the right causes they are wise that know how and where these sad distractions began but they are wiser that know where they will end and put forth all within them to be serviceable in that work It is good that these things be laid to the head and that there are so
robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his Law Therefore he hath powred upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battell and it hath set him on fire round about and he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart WHich words as you may perceive Honourable and beloved are a text so sadly open'd to our hand a Prophesy so clearly fulfilled in our eyes that he which runs may reade it as an Hand-writing upon our wals foretelling the ruine and period even of our Israel also unlesse it please the Lord graciously to step in betwixt us and the wrath to come I shall not need therefore by way of clearing a passage to the words to say much more then what our Saviour did in opening a Prophesy in this book which after reading the words he closed up again and told them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears and they all bare him witnesse Nor shall I need by way of preface to say more then the Prophet here doth immediately before the Text to quicken up your attention Who amongst you will give ear to this who will hearken and hear for the time to come where he lifts up his voice like a Trumpet to make way then follows the Lords Declaration in the words which I have read Who gave Iacob for a spoil c. Briefly to come in upon them with the best speed I may this whole Sermon of the Prophet beginning at the first v. of this chapter and ending at the 13. verse of the next is a Prophecy so strangely enterwoven with threats and promises that it appears as so much Checker-work of Judgements and mercies hear a little of the one then as much of the other with line upon line judgement upon mercy very suitable to his hearers which we may conceive to have been a mixed number for it is well known that the sinners in Sion and mourners in Sion in those days were so blended and mixt together that there needed a Divine hand to mark the one from the other In the former part of this chapter we have the Lord Jesus exhibited to us as one most eminently set off with all the gracious endowments that might win upon the hearts of the worst of men to this purpose the Prophet tels us â— Negatively what by his office he was not and then Positively what he was 1rst no quarreller or striker so far from that unpleasing work that he was not to cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets v. 2. so far from raising uproars or tumults that he appears not in the strong wind or Earthquake or fire but in a still voice which should neither break the bruised Reed or quench the smoaking Flax v. 3. That sword which he brought into the world with him was not to bee drawn if peace spoken to the heathen might prevail his meaning is he would not by force of arms drag or drive his conquered number into obedience this was not his office but 2ly the course of his office positively was to find eyes and feet for his followers or at least to knock off the bolts and chaines that they might be at liberty to follow him freely and faithfully v. 7. Now if notwithstanding all this there should be a perverse party amongst them of the sons of Beliall that would refuse his gentle yoak and break his bands asunder close up their eies against the light and fight it out in the dark the Lord will see the quarrell of his son or as he cals him ver. 1. his servant revenged to the full upon that people ver. 13 14. If the Prince of peace were silent the Lord of Hosts would speak in his cause yea and fight too very severely not onely cry and roare but destroy and devour at once yea the longer he held his peace the lowder he would be when he comes to complain the farther he drew back his hand the deeper would be the wound when he comes to strike Which by the way may serve as a warning caution to that Nation or people suppose it be ours that have had more of Christs company then they care for more of his proffered Grace then they are willing to accept or acknowledge when God comes to reckon for this though that Nation were as neer and dear to him as Iacob or Israel of whom he speaks with honourable mention Hos. 12 45. one that was excellent at the duty wherein we are now imployed could weep and make supplication and by his strength had power with God Yet if the prevailing party amongst them were strong enough to trample down those Honourable Laws which he had magnified on purpose for the advantage of his people when he is thus provoked by a lawlesse number he professes openly he will have an holy though an heavy hand in the ruine and spoyl of that people and when he hath done leaves it with the world to judge whether there were not all the reason in the world for what he did when he gave Iacob to the spoyl and Israel to the robbers c. and thus we are come through the context to the words Which being very clear and plain I conceive it would be time impertinently spent to give accompt what Interpreters say of the words or dash their judgements one against the other this I take it were but to strike fire and light up a candle at noon-day to seek for that which is neither hid nor lost this is no time or place to be luxuriant in Criticismes and as for parts if I had not learned that Aeque confusa est divisio nimia ac nulla I would spare divisions were it not to prevent confusion briefly therefore to help our memories you may cast up the full sum of the words into these three generall parts 1. A penalty inflicted Iacob Israel given to the plunder spoyl the robbers and spoylers have it in Commission under Gods hand to plunder him this is the penalty and as we shall see a very sad and shamefull one 2. The cause alleaged together with the vindictive party that appears in it let me put them both together for better expedition and satisfaction in case it be demanded Is this legall shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right will the King of Kings leave such a precedent upon record to his vicegerents to plunder their own subjects to which he answers there was a cause and there was this cause upon which he avouches the fact under his hand in words at length and not in figures Did not the Lord which with the Hebrew Emphasis doubles the Answer â—q d. I did it and will justifie it 3. The acknowledgement required with the most serious consideration that may be as appears partly by the quickning preface wherein the
mans rule Eccles. 9. 1 2. 7. 14 2. There are extraordinary penalties wherein God appears and takes occasion to open and expound some kinde of sins with suitable judgement and then expects we should read our sin in our punishment this I take to be his meaning when he commands to hear the rod and who hath appointed it and that neither of these should be question'd here he gives a clear and a full accompt of both I. if being blind as he complains they were v. 18. 19. he doth not baffle them in their blindness give the blow and start aside but if they ask who smote them he tels them plainly it was the Lords doing exprest with the Hebrew emphasis which by way of demand doubles the answere q. d. I did it and wil justifie it 2. If they would know why he stands not upon his royall pâ—â—rogative which is soveraign reason but gives them satisfying reason suitable to their own principles wherein he refers himself to their consciences if there were not all kind of reason for what he did and they suffered there was a cause and there was this cause Iâ—â— their sin in grosse crowded into the bâ—llance by the lump was the common cause and then 2ly certain provoking sins in particular most intrinsecally crosse to the covenant were the speciall cause so that both put together and so solemnly charg'd upon this people clear the truth propounded That when God inflicts such extraordinary penalties as they then and we now grone under he is very willing we should not guesse at adventure but know for certain that he is necessitated to doe this and so he tels them Ier. 5. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this q. d. Set me in a way how it may be done with the safety of mine honour and command me if not excuse me if I strike home for this Now by that time this is seen and acknowledged we are past the hardest propositions of agreement and he cals us to a Treaty upon these termes Amos 4. Tels his people there what he had done and they had suffered v. 10 11. He was fain to deal with them as Absalon with Ioab that could not get speech with him till he fired his corn so he dealt also with these in the text fired them round about the cause was apostasy and obstinacy They had started off from their God and would not return upon summons therefore he wils them to consider where the difference lay and mind it or he would proceed from one penalty to another untill they give him a meeting to the purpose something he had done ver. 10 11. but that was not all Some more dreadfull penalty there was behind which he leaves a blank for in the 12. ver. This I will doe he saith not what but let them suspect the worst if they prepare not to meet the Lord This being so there is yet hope in Israel concerning this Ez. 10. 2. there is yet some life in our case a step at least betwixt us and death there is space enough for mercy to come and warn if grace foresee and prevent the wrath to come so that before we come to the last and great duty of consideration we have by way of inference a twofold Information which I shall commend to you in a twofold coâ—sectary viz. 1. God neither smites nor spoiles a people without a cause 1. nor yet for every cause 2. He is willing we should consider what sins of all others are the robbing and spoiling sins For the first know for certain that neither Jacob or Israel as then nor England or Ireland now are rob'd and spoil'd by fatall necessity by any malignant influence of the stars or conjunction of the planets as some that have nothing else to say or do would amuse the world withall No verily our Church and State have those stars within them and O that we were so wise to get above them those stars I say that have fought in their order against us and without which God uses not to fight with us the Sun shines naturally but is eclipsed accidentally so God loves his own freely out of his gracious inclination but his frowns are forced and his stroaks are constrained like fire out of the flint not without provocations nothing can anger him but sin that fights against his will nor any thing please him again till he hath his will of it to this purpose he must and will smite that is certain but never without a cause 2. Nor yet for every cause He is not so hot in the quarrell of his Covenant that every sinfull unkindnesse should kindle him into a flaming passion and make him poure out the fury of his anger and strength of battle upon a people No no it is granted on all hands not only by us who are here humbled under his mighty hand but even by those that are blaspheming his name in the camp that God hath cause enough to be angry or if it were denied this great Assembly this grand Jury of our kingdome hath bils enough upon the file to testifie against us so many that it is thought they will not all be found charg'd home untill the Judge of all the world come to right himselfe In the mean time we are here this day before the Lord to doe him right in two particulars viz. 1. Acknowledge the cause 2. Accept the penalty In each of these let us be free and faithfull I beseech you Doe this Sirs or there is nothing done in the way of reconciliation I hope there are none here so well conceited of our Nation in generall or themselves in particular to say or think that God might have better spared this blood that hath been spilt amongst us or that it might have been shed more justly elsewhere If any of those that stand in the gap this day to pray and plead for his people or to judge betwixt him and his harbour any such thoughts let me bespeak you in the words of the Lord O wash thine heart from this great wickednesse that thou maiest be spared and let not these vain thoughts lodge within thee Indeed time was when we might have pleaded pity upon better appearance of reason then now we can For instance â— in the time of our Marian persecutions about 90. years since our Nation then was in the first heats of its love and it was pity then that Christs Lambs that fell into so hard a time should be so butchered and Bonnered as they were weltring in their blood that was a time of love and for the elects sake those bloody days were shortned So again 2 in the year 88. Our Nation was unanimously agreed Prince and people both upon a course of reformation to purge out the Romish poyson from the Church and work the Spanish leaven out of the State then it was
in the grosse 2 Sam. 12. 13. I have sinned comes at better leisure to weigh it more distinctly Psal. 51. 3. I know mine iniquity c. q. d. now I know what I have done and what I deserve to suffer This the Scripture calls The returning of a man to himself as Christ expresses it in the case of the prodigall that had lost himself by not considering his wayes in his heart did at length returne to himself No doubt but before his return he knew what his folly was and felt his miserie and hunger and so did the swine he fed but when he laid these together and considered what his father was and minded his return then was he uncharm'd from his swinish disposition changed in the renuing of his minde and he that is brought to this may be said to lay things to heart 2. An â—ct of the will which is the first chosen principle My sonne give me thy heart and the first choosing principle whereby we choose what to do or suffer in a strait commonly called a resolution upon a debate when in evills we choose the least and in good things the best Thus David in the Choise of three evills of penalty chooses the least and Paul in a strait between two good things chooses the best and in this deliberation may be said to lay it to heart According to the Wisemans advise Prov. 4. 25 26. after the pondering of our paths to look upon the right way and pitch there Thus did not these do and therefore were rather wilfull then wife as the Lord upbraids them by the brute creatures They stand not to deliberate whether they were best sinne on and suffer or return and be saved but there they lie like so many blocks under a two-handed Saw the robbers and spoilers if God will snatch them like so many fire-brands out of the fire well and good if not there they lie ready to be sawen and cleft out for the fire smoak and smother out in a carelesse neglect Contrary to this is a faire warning willingly chosen and resolved on to flee from the wrath to come 3. An act of the affections as sorrow grief care c. whereby sad and passionate men are said to lay things to heart as we finde it exprest to the life in Zach. 12. 10 11 12. where they take themselves apart every family apart and person apart and look upon him whom they had pierced as one that had little deserved this cruelty at their hands and fix their eyes upon that sad spectacle of their injustice and at the sight of this they pour out their tears and passions as the parent that weeps for his own childe or as he that is in bitternesse for his first-born 4. An act of the conscience which we commonly call the pricking of the heart when the judgement rightly inlightned reflects upon it self and upon cleâ—â— evidence of the fact takes Gods part against it self accuses judges condemns and executes sentence upon it self smites upon the thigh As God observes it in Ephraims case when he heard him complaining of his own foul misdemeanors Ah I was an untamed heifer therefore ashamed and confounded to think of his youthfull miscariages This the Lord takes as laying his case to heart and finding what carefulnesse it wrought in him what clearing of his God and condemning of himself what indignation what fear what vehement desire yea what zeal and what revenge the Lord pronounces him clear in this matter and gives in his discharge and absolution in the next words No longer a beast now but his dear sonne and pleasant childe ver. 20. So that when the soul is brought to this temper that the sin works upoÌ„ the conscience more then the suffering doth upon the outward man and can freely acquit God in his righteous proceedings as Ezra did in the behalf of this people that after all that these robbers and spoilers had done to them could say verse 13. After all that is come upon us for our evill deeds and our great trespasse Thou O God hast punished us lesse then our sinnes deserve so when our conscience is rightly informed by laying our sinne and sufferings together that God hath done us nothing but right and in weighing the case do so determine it that passion gets not the upper hand of our reason to say O how severe hath God been But O how rude and ignorant was I and in that point a beast Psal. 73. When judgement is thus brought to victory that Gods proceedings are clearly discerned and our deserts faithfully acknowledged and the right use made of all then are these things rightly laid to heart 5. An act of the memory whereby we recall things past and gone and well-nigh lost in the tumults and confusions or dangers and fears which are no friends to the memory but when we can return into our fixed thoughts without any longer roving and wandring and gather them close together to make a good result of them then the heart takes fire as David expresses Psal. 39. 3. He was fain to bring many scatter'd and confused thoughts together before he could work the right consideration of his case upon his heart As he that fetches fire from the Sunne with a burning-glasse gathers the scatter'd beams into a narrow compasse and there must hold them fixt before the matter will take fire so there must bee good skill and pains taken to recollect mercies of old on Gods part and as many forgotten injuries on our parts and when these are brought together by a faithfull act of the memory then the duty works kindly This David cals the examining our heart upon our beds Psal. 4. 4. the Prophet Zeph. 2. 12. cals sifting and searching over and again so the words would be read Excutite vos iterumque excutite Let us sift and search our wayes saith Ieremy Lam. 3. 40. A duty which the Lord seriously looks for of all those that enter covenant with him of better obedidence and promises that he will bestow it upon his own one of the first graces he gives in the new covenant as we find Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evill wayes and doings that were not good c. And loath your selves in your own eyes for all your iniquities c. Lay these things together and we may be said to lay them to heart more then this God requires not and lesse will not serve the turn Therefore charges home the neglect of this as one of the main causes why he proceeds on in the severity of his purposes as we find Ier. 12. 12. The spoilers are come in and made the Land desolate he grants that the Land mourns and yet concludes they laid it not to heart v. 11. Briefly therefore let this be my warrant from God to charge home this duty as ever we look to be 〈◊〉 of robbers and spoilers or see an end