Rabbath of the Ammonites see Ezek. 21.19 20 21 22. So other judgments as that of drought Amos 4.7 8. c. So that where Gods judgments in any kind and specially this of the sword are in any place as suppose in this City or Town not that in this house not that in this Kingdom not that there is some special Reason in Gods Counsel for it which would so far be searched out specially by that place c. 2. Now secondly Second part The effects of this Denunciation With respect the effects and success of this Denunciation would in a word only be taken notice of 1. Against Jerusalem and they are three 1. They shall fight against it Not only barely look on or threaten it as in good King Hezekiah's time 1 to Jerusalem Enemies shall when not an arrow was shot against it Isai 37.33 No King Zedekiah must look for no such favour See Jer. 21.1 2 3. c. Sinners must not look to find as Saints 1 fight against it 2. And take it That 's more Before they fought against Jerusalem but the seidge was raised 2 Take it Our confidences shall fayl But now the Jews looked for their help the like help from Aegypt but in vain Lament 4.17 When God indeed will punish all our confidences shall be removed or fayl us God thus speaketh to this people The Lord hath rejected thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them Jer. 2.37 And Job thus speaketh of God 〈◊〉 9.3 If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers or helpers of pride or strength â—o stoop under him It is therefore good having God for our help and hope Use see Psal 146.5 6. Again 2 Judgments thou 〈◊〉 un 〈◊〉 will betall The taking of Jerusalem might seem Incredible Lament 4.12 But when our sins are ripe God can do that which we cannot conceive and far beyond that which any the oldest in his time hath seen Ioel 1.1 2. c. 3. 3 It 's no to trust in 〈◊〉 ward stâ—nâ—th â—t means Let none then whilest God is an enemy flatter themselves or trust in any confidences of their own not in their Allies and Confederates not in the outward Ordinances whilest they walk not according to them Ier. 7.4 c. Not in horses men though Princes Psal 20.7 146.3 4 5. Not in their own strength in their strong or high walls as is said c. Deut. 28.50 51 52. 3. 3 Burn it And burn it with fire This is yet worse being threatned Amos 2.4 Many towns are taken yet not consumed with fire that is counted barbarous in enemies as of late in our barbarous Cavaliers and Popish and Irish especially who burned the towns they took such especially as they could not keep And it is severe and sore in God and should deeply humble such as have found it so with them but make us of this place more thankful both to God and man who deserving as ill as any though the town was taken by storm yet scarce felt the smel of fire Now From all these Note Gods grâ—daal proceedings in his judgments note from all these three and the order of them how God commonly proceeds by degrees in his judgments from the lesser to the greater till he at length utterly cut off and destroy He first trieth them as by divers other lesser evils as by dâ—arths inundations pestilence c. So by the sword which he first threatens Lev. t. 26.25 Then by a seige only as in King Hezekiah's time If this do no good then by sighting against their Cities as here in the first seige of Ierusalem which upon their ew rening of their Covenant with God and some Reformation was removed Next by taking of their Cities and no more or it may be by taking and also plund ring the same or spoyling their goods as it was with King Rehoboam and his Princes who repenting at the preaching of Sâ—â—masah were delivered from destruction but not from spoyl God would grant them some deliverance 2 Chron 11 4 5 6 7 8 9. or a little while and no. pour â—â—t his wrath upon Jerusalem by the hand of Slâ—shak So he took away the Treasures of the House of the Lord and the Treasures of the Kings House he carryed away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made Lastly when none of these will reform us then he gives the Cities and goods in it to the fire and the men or evil doers in it to the sword to Captivity Famine yea to Destruction and that without repentance intervening of soul eternally as well as of body temporally Oh gracious and merciful God Vse This his long-suffering is a mercy And should hasten our repentance full of long-suffering and patience both to cut off finally till there be no remedy How should this his manner of proceeding with us lead us to repentance How if we were wise should we be warned by his bare threats Howsoever when he comes nearer us by some lesser evils See the different carriage of two Kings King Hezekiah and King Hoshea both were alike threatned by the Prophet Micah who preached both to Samaria and Ierusalem and threatned Zion and Ierusalem as well as Samaria Micah 1.1 3.12 But King Hezekiah took warning feared the Lord and besought the face of the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them Jer. 26.18 19. But did King Hoshea so No He did evil in the sight of the Lord yet not as the Kings of Israel that were before him Yet the King of Assyria went up to Samaria and beseidged it and after three years seidge took it and carryed Israel away into Captivity c. So that Kingdom came to an end And we have heard how though at another time King Hezekiah was beseidged with a mighty and an insolent enemy yet he seeking to the Lord was miraculously delivered Oh that we could be thus wise or at least so wise as was King Rehoboam who upon repent ance scaped with a plundering Only so it was with many of late in this our Nation and with us also of this place who were only gently for the most part plundred What may seem to be next if we and other Cities make not better use of the mercy as well as of the severity what but destruction 2. 2 With respect to other Cities of Judah And I will make the Cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant This is the effect of this Denunciation against the Cities of Iudah of which I will say no more but this that like as is the Mother so are the Daughters both for sin and punishment Other lesser Cities commonly follow the fashions of the Mother City both in good but especially in evil Great Cities and Towns should see to give good example to others otherwise so far they become guilty not only of their own but of
THE Return of the Sword OR A DIVINE PROGNOSTICK Delivered in a SERMON at Newcastle Manifesting that breach of Covenant is a Prognostick of the return of the SWORD By ROBERT JENISON Dr. of D. LEVIT 26.25 I will bring a Sword upon you that shal avenge the Quarrel of my Covenant EZEK 17.18 19. Seeing he hath despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when lo he had given his hand he shal not escape As I live saith the Lord surely mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it wil I recompence on his own head LONDON Printed by John Macock for LUKE FAVVNE at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLVIII To the indifferent Reader THese Sermon notes lying by me having been delivered on the day of a solemn * Thursday April 30. 1646 Fast kept as by the Kingdom of SCOTLAND and by their Garrison here so by us who sympathizing with them conceived their dangers and fears to be ours and who for that one time made our day of solemn humiliation theirs which yet we kept for the place alone by our selves and finding that in all likelihood they may be as usefull at this time as then and may tend to our warning by way of prevention howsoever to Gods glory and the justifying and magnifying of his ways whether of justice or of mercie I conceived it would conduce to those ends if transcribing and here and there enlarging the same I made them in this juncture of time more publick as being a word or two spoken in season and that the rather because I have for my part been for divers years so unusefull to the Publick and a stranger to mine own Nation though my willingness and endeavours were not wanting to have assisted in more publike imployment with others unto which being assigned upon notice of a time then set for the sitting of the Assembly of Divines I undertook a long and tedious as also hazardous * From Dantzigk to London in July 1642. Voyage but arriving and finding that then the Kings consent to their assembling was expected and relied upon and it very unlikely to be got upon leave obtained I hastned to return unto my poor flock at Dantzigk and was content with some expence of time and money to undergo the same hazards which makes me now as occasion offers to be as serviceable to the publicke as I may according to my poor mite My ayme is as the good and warning of such as God intends good unto so above all Gods Glory in the acknowledgment of which I hope they will joyn with me whether it be in a way of Justice or Mercy Thine in the Lord R. J. Newcastle March 23. 1647 8. THE Return of the Sword OR A DIVINE PROGNOSTICK JEREMIAH 34.22 Behold I will command saith the Lord and cause them to return to this City and they shall fight against it and take it and burn it with fire and I will make the Cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant THis prediction and threat be to the enemies of God The occasion of this Text. of the King and of all these three Kingdoms Yet that it be not to us either of this place or to these three Kingdoms let us take warning by it and that in better maner then those â—id to whom it was here uttered It is not above eight moneths I take it that this town Septem 1645. Newcastle with the adjacent Counties were in great fears by reason of the prevailings of the E. of Monross and his party who being at that time Master of all Scotland made his approaches very neer to England his Scouts as is said being then come within it though upon the fears and prayers of his people of both Kingdoms by a miraculous providence he was met withal routed By Major General middleâ—â—â— scattered and himself sent back to his mountains A mercy by us of this place and as may be thought April 1646. by others also too soon forgotten And now we hear of a dangerous and seditious Band under the name of an humble Remonstrance c. tending to the violating and subvertion of our Covenants say our brethren of Scotland in a late * Declaration of the 〈…〉 of the general Aâ—â—â—mbly 〈◊〉 Scotland And causes of the Fast of this day Declaration of theirs raising and fomenting jealousies in Scotland and between both Kingdoms prolonging of the unnatural wars and impeding the intended uniformity in Religion They hereupon calling it and looking upon it as a banding Remonstrance a Divisive Band and seeing their Land threatned with a new Breach from the North and in consideration of the late shameful backsliding and compliance of many with the Enemies of their want of Reformation and not taking warning by late judgments of sword and pestilence of their senceless ingratitude for drawing back his hand of pestilence and for giving a little breathing from the cruel insulting Enemy and confessing it just with God to send new troubles c. They hereupon I say have appointed a solemn * Thursday April 30. 1646 Fast to seek God and that God in the might of his power would crush this cockatrice egg that it break not forth into a fiery flying serpent c. Now they and we especially in these Northern parts of England April 29. being upon the like grounds in the same ship of danger and the day of our own monethly Fast calling on us for like duty we cannot but sympathize and joyn with them and with their garrison here And how we are conceâ—ned in it in regard of our common interest And though the storms be laid in the West of England yet seeing new clouds to arise in and from the North we are not to rest secure but to look to keep our vows promises and Covenant better then we do or have done and to maintain what in us lieth peace and unity first with God and then according to our nâ—tional Covenant with our neighbors and one with another that so being Inseparable Siâ— Jacob Ashley we may also be Insuperable seeing as was said by the Commander who was last taken and routed and after the Kings last game was playd our or the Parliaments and two Kingdoms work was done if we did not fall out among our selves These things have occasioned this text at this time which I shall very briefly run through and insist only though not largely on one chief observation In this Chapter is the effect of two Sermons of the Prophet Jâ—remy The occasion of these words The first from Verse 1. to 8. where Ieremy prophesieth the captivity of King Zedekiah and the City Jerusalem c. at the time when they of Jerusalem were in some distress by the Caldean forces who fought against it and against all the Cities thereof The second from and with the 8. Verse to the end when the siege was for some space of time
in his days Now if either of these have been sufficient cause to renew Covenant with God have not we had and have we not still the same cause or like He must needs be either a child or of no observation that remembers not what the case and condition of these three Kingdoms was a few years ago and how we were under not only sensible wrath by plague and other outward evils but more insensible and not so visibly observed by all that is in a manner bought and sold and betrayed into the hands of Rome by such treacherous Trustees as who especially in our own Land had the chief power delegated to them upon the prevention of which by Gods mercy arms were taken up between the Kingdoms and after a short pacification renewed again which occasioned that bloody civil War among our selves that bloody Antichristian Inhumane Butchery and Massacre of the poor Protestants in Ireland intended to have been followed home to our doors also in Scotland and England by which means all three Kingdoms were in great hazard to have lost besides lives and goods our Religion Laws Liberties By the combination of enemies Now the combination of all sorts of Malignants Papists Athiests Prophane cold and luke-warm Protestants against the sincerer sort and against the Parliament was thought ground and cause sufficient to unite and enter into a most solemn League and Covenant according to God and as in the presence of the Almighty with hands lift up to him for Reformation and defence of Religion the honor and happiness of the King the Peace and safety of the three Kingdoms and to joyn with all their power in the defence of this cause against the common enemies c. After the example of divers godly Kings of Judah c. Yea for this our Nation to seek God by solemn monethly and other occasional humliations Our need of keeping our National Covenant by fasting and prayer And as this our Covenanting was then so occasioned is there not still the same cause to continue the union and inviolably and in conscience to keep close to our Covenant unless we will say our own turns now are served by it and that it is to be looked upon as an Almanack out of date which if we should generally so think to me argues that such entered into Covenant not in a religious but only civil and politick respect which if I have any sence or judgment in matters of that nature should be an horrible prophanation of the holy Name of God and a dallying with holy things to the just provocation of Gods displeasure who is a party in it against the violators of the same But is there indeed no further use of that our so solemn a Covenant Have we not still the same common Enemies Are not our dangers and causes of fear as great now as ever Is not Religion for the truth purity and power of it in as much danger as ever Do not such as are Enemies to both and all the Kingdoms hope if not seek to divide us Are not their hopes and our fears occasioned by the jealousies mistrusts and mâ—â—prisions we have one of another which if God be not merciful and chief counsellors on both sides wise for prevention may break out into a new and greater flame Howsoever we have less cause now then ever to be secure whether we look homeward or outward to other forraign Nations and more cause to maintain the union of the Kingdoms and to keep inviolably and stick close to God and our Covenant and to look upon our conscionable keeping of it as a strong â—edg to keep us under God safe from forraign and domestique Enemies and in the purity of our Religion and Worship against the licentious doctrines and practise of the times Lastly Then seeing our fears are not yet over 4 Use Examination but that though in the South and West of England storms are calmed and all in a manner done there and that for the present Clouds seem again to be gathering especially in the North What cause we have to fear the return of the sword from the Malignant and ill-effected party there howsoever the Return of the Sword from what coast soever not without just cause doubted and feared It will concern us wisely to consider and enquire into the true causes thereof for a timely prevention seeing prevention is ever better then medicine and Repentance is but the fruit of Improvidence I will enquire no further then my Text gives the occasion Our careless keeping of our solemn Covenant The Army of the King of Babylon was threatned to return and indeed did return to Jerusalem fought against it took it and burnt it with fire and made the Cities of Judah desolate But what is given as the special cause of it They were long and often threatned for many of their other sins but that here mentioned is That whereas they had made a Covenant before the Lord in the house which is called by his name they turned and polluted his name Verses 15 16 -18 22. transgressed his Covenant and not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before him We then see and have seen what an heynous sin and how grievously punished is the sin of Breach of Covenant when made before God and according to his Will and when men perform not all the very words of it It was punished in Judah and Jerusalem with the taking and burning of the City and in Israel or Samaria as partly also in Iudah with the loss of their King or of their Kingly Government I will cause to cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel Hosea 1.4 10 3 4. And elsewhere now they shall say we have no King and why Because we feared not the Lord What then should a King do to us They have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant These two together made their misery compleat and both of them the fruit of this sin Now for us of this our Nation we might doubtless be much more secure and in safer condition both in regard of our peace and also Government if our Covenant both with God as we are Christians and with our neighbour Nation as we are under one King were on all hands Application both entered into without such opposition made against it or more conscionably zealously and better kept by such as have entered into the same of both Nations First 1 To sâ—ch as sâ— mâ—dâ— rends to our naâ—onal Covenant For us who have so solemnly entered into this League as with God so one with another If as by a new act in this bloody Tragedy war come upâ—n our stage again or that old enmity between the Nations return that God send an evil Spirit or that a fire break out to the hazard and hurt of both Nations as once between Abimelech and the men of Shechem which God in mercy avert and turn from us
others sin and causes at least occasions of their punishments Such general Desolations are the fruit of sin persisted in against former mercies and lesser chastisments from God Desolation Which is a fruit of haâ—dness of heaâ— Psal 107 34. unto which sencâ—less sinners are at length given over God is provoked at length to turn a fruitful Land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwel therein As sin dispeopled the whole world in the flood and the paradise of the world the Land of Iudah for now was accoâ—plished that wrath â—olong foretold by the Prophet Isâ—â—â— in the desolationâ—o this people for their obstinacy Their hearts were made fat to that the word in the Ministry of it had no saving effect on the most of them Isai 6.10 11 â—â— 13. 〈◊〉 which their obstinacy was to continue so long until their Cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate desolate with desolation and the Lord have removed men far away and there be a great forsaking in the Land Such desolations must they expect at length who neglect lesser warning and who harden themselves against the word mercies judgments and forget their vows promises and Covenants with God and man For this is that sin here which added to their former sins made them ripe for destruction and for which this great desolation by the return of the Babylonish Army came upon them Now from the whole Verse observe Doctrine Breach of Covenant is an haynous sin which God will by no means pass by in his people unpunished It causeth The main Doctrine from the whole verse as here irrevocable judgments Where I speak not of unlawful or sinful Covenants which are better broken by repentance and pardon begged of God for that rashness which was in the making of them Such was that of those Iews who more then fourty of them Breach of Covenant punished by the sword banded together to kill Paul Acts 23.12 But of lawful Covenants whether only 1. Civil Whereby men ingage themselves one to another in civil respects only as when Abimelech and Abraham covenanted and sware one to another at Beersheba Covenants distinguished or the well of the oath Gen. 21.27 30.31 And when Iacob and Laban covenanted at Galeed Gen. 31.44 52. Or 2. Religious To yeeld obedience to God according to his will or to seek God as when Iehojada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King that they should be the Lords People 2 Chron. 23.16 And so when Ezra made a Covenant for himself and the people with God to put away all their strange wives c. Ezra 10.3 See also Nehem. 9.38 10.1 c. 29.30 c. Or 3. Mixt Such was that also of Iehosaphat which was made not only between the Lord the King and people but between the King also and the people 2 Kings 11.17 And of this nature is our national Covenant Now God will severely punish the breach of all these sorts of Covenants And God puniâ—heth breach of Covenants of all sorts for so he hath done 1. For Civil As that made Ezek. 17. between the King of Iudah and the King of Babylon 1 Civil against whom after he had taken an oath he rebelled in sending his Embassadors into Egypt that they might give him horses and much people But what saith God Shall he prosper Shall he escape that doth such things Ezek. 17 15 16 19. Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall dye c. See also 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. c. with Iosh 9.15 2. For Religious Covenants Thus Isai 24.1 2. 2 Religious the Lord threatneth doleful judgments to fall upon the Land Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it wast and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof c. The Land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled c. But why is all this Isai 24 1 2 3 4 5 6. Because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant therefore hath the curse devoured the earth and they that dwel therein are desolate So the Army of Israel could not prosper at Aj nor stand before their enemies though Gods promise was to be with them Why Josh 7 11 12. Because Israel saith the Lord hath sinned and they have also transgressed my Covenant and yet it was but one man Achan with his family that had taken of the accursed thing and stollen who accordingly were destroyed So for profanation of the Sacraments signs of the Covenant and of holy things see how God takes such wicked ones up Psal 50.16.17 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth c. 3. So for Mixt Covenants 3 Mixt. In King Asa his days they bound themselves by a renewed Covenant to God and one to another that they would seek the Lord God of Israel and so by mutual covenanting to destroy Idolatry and the groves and superstitious worship they bound themselves and submitted to the penalty of death 2 Chron. 15.13 14. c. So acknowledging that not only Idolatry and breach of mens general Covenant with God deserved death but that they by vertue of this their covenanting one with another which they did to shew their thankfulness to God for that late great victory were bound without any pity or partiality to see Gods Will and Law ' Deut. 13.1 2 3 4. c. in such case executed and fulfilled But especially the Instance in my Text is remarkable King Zedekiah had made a Covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty unto them as Jer. 34.9 10. But afterwards they turned and caused the servants and handmaids whom they had let go free to return and brought them into subjection c. verse 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord verse 18. I will give the men that have transgressed my Covenant which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me even the Princes of Judah and of Jerusalem the Eunuchs and the Priests and all the people of the Land which passed between the parts of the Calf I will give them into the hand of their enemies and of them that seek their life And then as in my Text I will command and cause them to return to this City and they shall fight against it and take it and burn it with fire c. Where we may observe God verse 18. cals that his Covenant which the King and Princes had made with their servants before him i. in his presence taking him to witness so when men Covenant one with another by