this time It is a sword like that which is described Ezek. 21. A sword a sword sharpned and also fouâ—bished ver 9. It is the sword of the great men that were slain entring into the privy Chambers ver 14. It contemneth the rod of my sonne ver 10 that is it regardeth not the Kings Scepter where even the Geneva note in the Margine tells us that the King is called the Sonne of God because that all men should reverence Him as being in Gods place But this is a desperate sword as is expressed verse 13. And what shall this be if the sword contemne even the rod Such is the sword which God hath sent against our Land It contemneth the rod despiseth the Scepter spareth not the person of the King himselfe so that the breath of our nostrills the anoynted of the Lord was almost taken in their pits Lam. 4.20 This sword is so desperate that it devoureth without respect of sex age or conditions of men and there is no end of destroying We may now with sad hearts and wet eyes behold the whole Kingdome like a sorrowfull Widow not onely as Rebecca pained with the strugling of her children in her wombe but as Rachel weeping for her children who will not be comforted because they are not It is repotted of Judas Macchabaeus 2. Mac. 12. that after a shaughter of the People he caused to offer up Sacrifice for the dead Now howsoever that author hath related this story yet I cannot believe that Judas offered any Sacrifice for the benefit of the dead for certainly that error is not so ancient but it may wel be that he caused to offer up Sacrifice because of the dead that is to say by the slaughter of those men that fell he perceived that Gods wrath was kindled against all the People and so he offered Sacrifice to make an atonement for themselves So we shall doe well now to offer up sacrifice because of the Slain to turn away Gods wrath from us lest we all likewise perish I know there is a sacrifice intended but it is such as will make no atonement Many divelish polititians would now make a sacrifice of the Church they call it a Reformation of Religion but it would prove the destruction of it This hath bin often attempted before and it was observed by M. Cartwright the author of the Ecclesiasticall discipline that it was covetousnesses which set on worktheir Lay-followers to bring in their discipline Whilest they heare us speake against Bishops and Cathedrall Churches saith the author of the Ecclesiasticall discipline it tickleth their eares looking for the like prey they had before of Monasteries Yea they have in their hearts devoured already the Churches inheritance They care not for Religion so they may get the spoyle They could be content to crucifie Christ so they might have his garments Our age is full of spoyling souldiers and of wicked Dionysians who will robbe Christ of his golden Coate as neither fit for him in Winter nor in Summer And saith M. Cartwright They are Cormorants and seeke to fil the bottomlesse sacks of their greedy appetites They doe yawne after a prey and would thereby to their perpetuall shame purchase to themselves a field of blood So that even in the judgement of these men who were the founders of this Rebellious Sect it is no acceptablesacrifice to God for men to appropriate to themselves the maintenance of the Church and such things as have been dedicated to Gods service This is not to offer up a Sacrifice to God but to sacrifice the things that are Gods unto wicked and Sacrilegious men Such a Sacrifice will be so farre from pacifying Gods wrath that it will incense it the more against us and against the whole Land such a Sacrifice will be as abominable unto God as was under the Law the cutting off a Dogs neck and the offering of Swines blood Isa 68.3 It is another Sacrifice wherewith we must make an atonement even that Sacrifice which David repenting of his sin vowed unto God Ps 51.17 The sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart which God will not despise Wee must humble our selves in the sense of our sins and cry mightily unto God that the fiercenesse of his wrath may be turned away By this humiliation Gods wrath hath beene often pacifyed Ahab by an outward humiliation procured the adjourning of a temporall judgement So did the Ninevites when their destruction was within fortie dayes they humbled themselves and fasted whereupon the Lord repealed his sentence and they were not destroyed In the second of Ioel I find that even when the day of the Lord was nigh at hand ver 1. that is destruction readie to fall upon them presently yet God was willing to stay his hand and that his people should make his threatnings voyd for in the 12. verse he exhorts them unto repentance saying Therefore also now saith the Lord turne you unto me also now that is even now when the sentence is gone forth when the judgement is at hand now when I have whet my Sword bent my Bow and prepared the instruments of death yet Turne ye unto me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning rent your hearts and turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him Therefore blow the Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a Fast câ—ll a solemne Assembly Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar and say Spare thy People O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach When Shishak King of Egypt came up against Ierusalem in the dayes of Rehoboam and tooke in the fenced Cities of Iudah the Princes of Israel and the King humbled themselves And when the Lord saw they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah saying They have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them but I will grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Ierusalem by the hand of Shâ—shak 2 Chron. 12.7 So powerfull is true humiliation to asswage the flames of Gods wrath But for want of this humiliation many times Gods people maintaining a good Cause by lawfull authoritie yet are foyled as were the Israelites before Ai who could not prevaile untill such time as Ioshua fell on his face and mourned and cried unto the Lord. Jos 7.6 The Israelites going against the Tribe of Benjamin were Gods people they had a good Cause and a speciall Commission from God yet were they twice foyled because they did neglect to seek God by repentance and humiliation as doth appeare by the event for being beaten unto it they went up to the Lord and wept and fasted and offered burnt offerings and Peace-offerings before the Lord. Iudg. 20.26 Whereupon they overcame the Benjamites In the first of Sam. 7.6 it is said that the people drew water and powred it
out before the Lord and fasted that is as the Chaldee observeth they poured out their hearts before God and shed teares in such abundance as if they had drawne water and powred in upon the ground whereupon God tooke their Cause in hand against the Philistims So Iehosophat proclaimed a Fast when the Moabites came against him 2 Chron. 20.3 And it is reported of O tho the great that being to joyne battel with the Hungarians he proclaimed a Fast in his Campe and called upon God If we would thus humble our selves God would soone humble our enemies it is his owne Covenant Ps 81.13 O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I should soone have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries This Covenant is expressely set downe by our Prophet Chap. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull downe and destroy it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them The like is promised 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heale their Land Where observe that we must not only humble our selves pray and seeke Gods face but also we must turne from our wicked wayes otherwise we cannot expect that God should heale our Land Therefore in the next place I say that with our humiliation we must joyne the reformation of our lives It is not enough that we bow down our heads like a bul-rush and afflict our soules for a day by fasting if afterwards we returne to our sins as a dogge to his vomit we have often fasted or made a shew to fast since this bloody Rebellion begun but it seemes God hath not regarded our Fastings for his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still And the reason is we doe not fast from sin but pour out our selves into all manner of wickednesse and so long as we by our sins fight against God we may be sure that God will fight against us When Trajan Generall to Valens the persecuting Emperour was defeated by the Gothes the Emperour upbraiding him with cowardise and sloth as the causes of the overthrow he told the Emperour that himselfe was the cause of the losse for you doe so warre against God Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 4. saith he that you abandon the victory and send it to your Enemies When Phocas had built a mighty well about his Palace for his security in the night he heard a voyce saying O King though thou build as high as the clouds Cedren Hist pag. 5 42. yet the City may easily be taken the sinne within will marre all Except sin be cast over the wals a wall of brasse is but a vaine thing To this purpose speaketh the Comick Si incolae benè sint morati pulchrè munitam arbritror at nisi invidia avaritia ambitio exulent centuplex murus parum est Therefore the Romans at first in their warrs as Vlpian and Flavius Vopiscus doe testifie made choice of no criminous parties no adulterers no condemned persons yea no bondslaves nor contentious brawlers But afterward as Li. vie saith the Common-wealth being brought to the very pinch of despaire they imployed such wicked persons whereof Scipio complained Liv. l. 10. Dec. 3. saying Non est mihi tantum ab hostibus armatis periculi c. We need not so much to fear the forces of our enemies as our own ill conditions for indeed as Ambrose saith Graviores sunt inimici mores pravi quam hosies infesti Our sinnes areenemies more to be feared then armed men It is out sins that have layd Christian Kindomes open to the tyranny of the Turke now our sins have betrayed us into the hands of more cruell and harbarous enemies then the Turkes our sins are the only cause of their prevailing they have not prevailed so farre for that their cause is good or their carriage better then their cause for both are starke naught but God cannot endure that in his own people which for a time he will in his enemies the Midianites who caused the Jsraelites to sin were worse then the Jsraelites yet God first corrected his owne people and then vexed the Midianites Therefore how carefully should wee take heed unto our wayes now when the sword is upon the lâ—nd many think that in the time of war there is a liberty of sin and they may doe what they list such is now for the most part the carriage of our Soludiers they doe not Sanctifie a warre as God requireth Ioel 3.9 but by their godlesse behaviour they discredit the good cause for which they fight As we should keepe our selves from sin at all times so especially in the time of warre sin hath no time allowed for it but it is never more untimely nor out of season then in the time of Warre for Warre is the punishment of sinne Warre is the sicknesse sin is the surfeit now when we are sicke of a surfeit will we not be carefull to order our selves well to keep a strict diet and not then to drinke in iniquity like water distemper our selves as though wee were in perfect state of health and so make our disease desperate Warre is the rod of Gods wrath for our sinnes now when Gods fearfull rod is over us when his hand is upon us for our sinnes then to sinne and provoke God more is a high contempt against him a putting him to open defiance Warre is an act of Justice of justice corrective whose office is to punish sinne and is it not absurd that we should then poure out our selves into sinne when we goe about to correct sinne in others Or with what face can we punish Rebells when wee our selves stand out in rebellion against God Besides God is the Lord of hosts the battell is his and he giveth the victory now how can we expect that God should give us any victory or goe out and in with our Armies if we continue still in our sinnes whereby Gods wrath is provoked against us Remember therefore I beseech you that caveat which God hath given us Deut. 23.9 it is the great Canon of Martiall-discipline When thou goest out with the hgst against thine enemies keepe thee then from all wickednesse The reason followeth ver 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Campe to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy Campe be holy that he see no uncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee For by experience we find that speech to be true which Azariah the Prophet spake to King Asa 2. Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while yee are with him but if yee forsake him he will forsake you As with our humiliation we must joyne reformation of our lives so we must testâ—fie this our repentance by workes of mercy and charity towards the poore Daniel joynes these two together in that counsell which he gave unto Nebuchadnezzar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore Dan. 4.27 Surely if ever there were a time to extend the bowells of mercy now it is when there are so many objects of mercy even men full of misery But that whereunto I am now to exhort you is not onely a worke of charity and mercy but an act of thankfulnesse whereunto you are bound by the Law of Nature namely to contribute for the reliefe of the poore maimed and sick Souldiers who have ventured their lives and spent their blood for the defence of their Country I will adde onely one thing more that this our repentance must be generall as our sin is generall and Nationall a particular man by turning from his wicked wayes may avert a particular judgement hanging over his owne head but where the Rebellion against God hath been generall and the judgement prepared is some generall calamity upon the Land there nothing can turne away Gods wrath but a generall conversion unto God as the Lord himselfe hath taught us Ezech. 14.13 Sonne of man when the Land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously then will I stretch out my hand upon it and though these three men Noah Daniell and Iob were in it they should deliver but their owne soules by their righteousnesse they shall deliver neither Sonnes nor Daughters they onely shall be delivered but the Land shall be desolate If the Sea roare and swell and be ready to breake the bankes it is not the care of one or two in repairing their bankes that will prevent the inundation but there must be a generall concurrence of all that are neare the place So now when God hath begun to roare from above against our Nation and is ready to swallow us up there must be a generall endeavour to stop the breach otherwise the particular care of some few will not prevent the deluge of his wrath Would we therefore remove this generall judgement which is upon our Land our repentance must be generall as the sinne was generall that brought the judgement let us therefore call one another as did the repenting Israelites Hos 6.1 saying Come and let us returne unto the Lord for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up And as it is Chap. 50.4 of this book let the Children of Israel and the Children of Iudah come together and weeping seeke the Lord. Thus if we seeke him hee will be found of us he will yet heale our Land and restore unto us the yeares which the Caterpiller hath devoured he will give us beauty for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse hee will make the bones which he hath broken to rejoyce which God of his infinite mercy grant c. FINIS
that none of his threatings could fall unto the ground therefore they were sensible of their danger and did sue unto God for deliverance So did Noah for the Apostle saith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with feare prepared an arke to the saving of his house Where observe three degrees of Noahs obedience 1. His faith he beleeved Gods threatning though it was of things as yet not seene for he received Gods warning by Faith 2. His feare he was moved with feare 3. His wise dome and care he prepared an Arke to the saving of his house In like manner should we receive Gods warning by faith beleeving his threatnings that so we may feare and tremble at his judgements and being moved with feare we may provide for our own safety as he did This is the part of every wise man for saith Solomon Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evill and hideth himselfe That is he knoweth that the judgement threatned will come upon the land and he provideth by all Lawfull means for his safety especially he maketh his Peace with God and hideth himselfe under the wings of his protection that so he may be able to stand in the evill day And thus having briefly prepar'd you to receive the message I come to shew you what it is It is a very angry one like Samuels message for unlesse we have caroused the cup of slumber unto the very dreggs this will make both our eares to tingle 1. Sam. 3.11 and our heart strings to tremble It is a fearfull threatning against his people expressed by way of interrogation yea of a double interrogation and this interrogation hath the force of a most powerfull affirmation Shall I not visit for these things and shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this That is I shall visit for these things my soule shall be avenged on such a Nation as this Wherein he appeales as it were unto themselves to declare whether he can doe any lesse then punish these sins As the Iudge calls unto the guilty Prisoner at the Barre to speake and to shew cause if he can why the sentence of death should not be pronounced so God is brought in here dealing with his people He hath in the words going before by this Prophet accused them of many grievous sins of Rebellion hypocrisy security contempt of his judgements neglect of his word abuse of his servants disobedience to his call impudencie in sin idolatry adultery and having found them guilty of all these he calls them to shew cause why the law should not be executed upon them Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this As if he should say Now since there are such abominations in Ierusalem since there is such obstinacy in this people let all the world judge and even your selves speak if it be not meet and just that I who am the most just judge of the world should call you to an accompt and Iudge you for these things I punish the sinnes of the Nations who know not my name how much more shall I punish the sins of this unthankfull Nation to whom I gave the knowledge of my will whom I chose to be mine owne people and whom I have blessed without measure with innumerable benefits yet have they followed the sins for which other Nations were destroyed and estranged themselves from me they have provoked my Majesty by their Idolatry wronged their Neighbour by fraud oppression and all manner of unrighteousnesse and by a perpetuall Rebellion they have resisted my will therefore is my will wholy bent to revenge I will visit for these things my soule shall be avenged From the words thus explained I will draw seven conclusions 1. That punishments are a visitation so called in my Text. 2. That all punishments are from God Shall not I visit 3. Sinne is the cause of all punishment Shall not I visit for these things 4. That great sinnes procure not only a visitation but a vengeance he will be Avenged 5. Such sinnes procure a speedy vengeance such as God in his will doth earnestly affect and in his work doth seriously effect for his Soule is set upon revenge that is he hath a bent mind a ready will and an earnest desire to be avenged Shall not my soule be avenged 6. That these grievous sins bring Gods vengeance not only upon particular persons but also upon the whole Nation Shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation 7. That no Priviledges nor Prerogatives can secure a Nation from punishment but if sinne doe abound God will be avenged on any Nation even on this Nation of the Iews who were his owne peculiar people Shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this By these seven steps shall we climbe up unto the understanding of this Text. 1. Punishments are a visitation so called in my Text Shall I not visit that is shall I not punish Indeed in many other places we find the word used in a better sense to expresse Gods kindnesse and favours to his people And if you would know how this word commeth to have two such contrary significations as to expresse sometimes his benefits and sometimes his judgements we must look into the proper signification of the word To visit properly is to enquire or make a search to take a view of a thing and exact an account which may be both of good and bad Therefore sometimes the Hebrew word Pakad that signifieth to visit is by the latine interpreter rendred quaerere to enquire as Iob. 31.14 Cùm quaesierit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jiph kod quid respondebo When he shall visit what shall I answer To this end doe Kings institute visitations by themselves or by their Ministers even to enquire into the State of their Kingdome for the punishment of evill doers 1. Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that doe well So the Apostles visited Churches that is they did view throughly the State of the flock Now because when God commeth to visit the Sonnes of men he taketh notice both of the good and the bad rewardeth the good and punisheth the bad hence it is that his visitation expresseth sometimes his mercies and sometimes his judgements So that there is a twofold visitation from God a visitation in mercy and a visitation in justice This threatned in my Text is a visitation in justice like that mentioned in the second precept of the Law He visiteth the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children And Isa 26.14 Thou hast visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish And in many other places Gods visitation doth expresse his judgements I conceive that the phrase is borrowed from the proceedings of a Iudge against guilty persons in which proceedings there are two maine acts 1. An inquiry and diligent examination whether the
party be guilty or not this is properly to visit 2. after he is found guilty punishment is inflicted upon him Such is the proceeding of every just Iudge and after this manner doth God himselfe proceed and the second act which is punishment is called by the name of the first act a visitation or an enquiry and that for two reasons 1. To shew that God doth never punish but after an enquiry made and examination of the fact he is that Lord who in the Parable Luk. 16.12 calls his Steward to an accompt He called him and said unto him how is it that I heare this of thee give an accompt of thy Stewardship There is the visitation or inquiry and then followeth the punishment for thou mayest be no longer Steward That this is the order of Gods proceedings he sheweth clearly Gen. 18.2 Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is very grievous I will go downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come vnto me and if not I will know 2. To shew that if God come to visit that is to make a search for sinne we cannot possibly escape punishment for we are all guilty in his sight not able as Iob saith To answer him one of a thousand so that the best of us had need to pray with the holy Prophet enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 Now to make some use of this in a word if punishments be a visitation then whensoever we are under the crosse let us remember it is God that visiteth us and then in like manner let us visit God visit him by prayer for to pray unto God is to visit him according unto that Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them Visit him by repentance for as by sinne we turne our backs upon God and depart from our heavenly Father so by repentance we come home againe and set our faces towards God walking in the wayes of his Commandements Finally visit him by faith faith is the eye of the soule by faith we look upon him whom we by our sinnes have pierced by faith wee who were far off are made neare by faith we have boldnesse and accesse unto him The second conclusion is that all punishments are from God Shall not I visit he saith not shall not the Assyrians visit but shall not I for punishment is an act of Iustice so most proper to God who is the Iudge of the world as is expressed Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it Certainly whatsoever calamities doe befall us they come not by chance or any blind fortune or the malice of men or Divells but by the determined Councell and foreknowledge of God If the pestilence come amongst us consume us it is the Lord that sends it or if famine come and pine us away it is from the Lord or if the sword be unsheathed to kill and destroy it is the sword of the Lord. I will send saith the Lord Chap. 25.9 and take all the families of the North and Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my servant and will bring them against this land and make them an astonishment and an hissing and perpetuall desolation It was God that delivered Iehojakim King of Iudah into the hands of the King of Babel Dan. 1.2 It was not Nebuchadnezzars doing but the Lords It is plain in the History of Job that the Divell for all his malice could not touch Iob nor any thing that was his untill first the Lord had said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy power Job 1.12 Insomuch that Job being spoiled of all his goods cryed out The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken He saith not the Sabaeans have taken away but the Lord hath So the repenting Israelites in all their extremities cryed out He hath wounded us he hath torne us Hos 6.1 all the wounds which they felt they acknowledge to come from God and therefore they have recourse unto him for remedy knowing that Gods hand is like unto Achilles his speare which onely can heale the wound that it hath made The consideration hereof should teach us patience under the crosse even with all meeknesse and humility to submit our selves unto the hand of God So did David I was dumbe saith he and opened not my mouth because thou didst it When Shimei did curse and revile him he did not so much as look upon the instrument but upon God whom he had offended saying Let him curse because the Lord hath said unto him Curse David 2. Sam. 16.10 So should we in all our sufferings not so much look unto the instruments as unto God from whom our afflictions doe come Verily there is not a greater let that hindereth men from profiting by their afflictions then their blindnesse whereby they ascribe all their calamities to secondary causes and inferiour means to fortune or chance and never look up unto the hand of God that striketh them like a Dog that snatcheth the stone and observeth not the hand that flung it Such was the blindnesse of the Israelites Hos 5.13 when Ephraim saw his sicknesse and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heale you nor cure you of your wonnd And there be many such and some worse who in their troubles will not only goe unto Ashur but even to a Witch at Endor as though there was not a God in Israel Oh wretched people doe they think it is the Divell that hurteth them or that he can heale them No it is only God that woundeth us and he only can heale us He killeth and maketh alive 1 Sam. 2.6 bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up Therefore let us in all our extremities have recourse unto him saying with Iehosaphat O Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are unto thee 2 Chron. 20.12 As all punishments are from God so the cause that procureth them is alwayes in our selves for sinne is the cause of all punishment as it followeth in the third place shall I not visit for these things that is for these sinnes Almighty God who is goodnesse it selfe and hateth nothing of that which he hath made doth never strike without a cause nor for every light cause either as he hath expressed Lam. 3.39 wherefore is the living man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sinne And a little before vers 33. He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men It is not willingly but with much reluctation as he expresseth Hos 11.8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within mee my repentings are kindled together
Therefore is the execution of justice called Opus alienum Isa 28.21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he might doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act It is called a strange work because he hath no delight in it as he professeth Ezech. 18.32 I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth God hath no pleasure in death and in destruction but is in a manner constrained by our finnes to inflict them for sin crieth unto the heaven for vengeance and suffereth not God to rest till he have poured it out sin is so contrary to Gods nature that he cannot but punish it according to that Psal 5. 5. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all workers of iniquity He reasons from the nature of God after this manner God hateth sin and therefore he will punish it It is not without cause that the same word in the Hebrew doth signify both sin and punishment for these two are inseparable if impiety there can be no impunity It was Gods threatning unto Adam in the day that thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 This is the sentence of the Law Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things that are written in this book Deut. 27.26 This is repeated by the Prophet Ezech. 18.4 The soule that sinneth it shall dye the same is confirmed by the Apostle in many places Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men Rom. 5.12 By sinne death entred into the world So that if it had not been for sin death could not have found a door to enter in at But when by one man sin entred into the world death entred by sinne and passed upon all men Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye And S. Iames saith chap. 1.15 Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death He saith not of every sin that it bringeth forth death but only of sin when it is finished or come to a full height for God in his mercy forgiveth sins not finished or at least he tolerateth them till they come to perfection that the sinner may be without all excuse but in his justice he judgeth and condemneth sinnes consummate by frequent iteration hardnesse of heart and impenitencie as he she weth Amos 1.3 For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. as if he had said if Damascus had sinned onely once in persecuting of my Church I might have turned away my judgements but they have sinned often to three transgressions they have added foure they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron And for so many transgressions I will not turn away their punishment Such a continued course in sinne doth not only deserve death which is common to all sinnes but it assuredly bringeth it forth and moveth God to inflict it upon the sinner The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used by the Apostle signifieth to be delivered of that which hath been conceived so that the Apostle will give us to understand so much that sin when once it commeth to perfection is with child of death and must needs be delivered If it be so that sin bringeth punishment and that there is no suffering but only for sin then whensoever any evill is upon us let us look back into our former courses examine our by past lives and see what we have done to provoke Gods wrath and indignation against us for certain it is that all afflictions are from God and as certain it is that all afflictions are from God and as certain it is that God never strikes but where he findes a cause in the party Oh happy were we if the sense of our sufferings might thus lead us into the sight and sense of our sins that so we might have recourse unto the Physition of our soules But alas we all perish for want of consideration for we goe on walking rashly and mind not what we do or in what case we stand to God-ward No man repented saith our Prophet cap. 8.6 but why No man said what have I done Every one turned to his course as a horse rusheth â—nto the battle There can be no repentance till first there be a looking back I. am 3.40 to see what we have done amisse therefore let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord. First we must search and try our wayes to find out our own wandrings before we can returne unto the Lord. The fourth poynt followeth that great sinnes such as were among the Iewes and doubtlesse are amongst us do procure not only a visitation but a Vengeance which is an act of Gods wrath and so a terrible punishment in some sort proportionable to the offence committed which God inflicts upon men not so much for their correction as for the satisfying of his owne justice First I say it is an act of Gods wrath according to that Micah 5.15 I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the Heathen Again I say that God inflicteth vengeance upon men not so much for their correction as for the satisfying of his own justice For this difference Aristotle puts between punishment and revenge Lib. 1. Rhetori c. 10. that punishment is for their sakes that suffer it and revenge for his sake that takes it So long as our sinnes are any way tolerable God doth only punish intending our amendment but if our sinnes become great and grievous such as cry unto the heaven God will proceed to revenge then he will not looke so much unto us as unto himselfe for his honour is ingaged and must be relieved by executing vengeance upon the wicked Gods Justice calls for revenge for by sinne God is wronged and he must be righted and get himselfe honour upon those sinners who have dishonoured him Thus being to execute judgement upon Pharaoh he saith I will get mee honour upon Pharaoh Exodus 14.17 God got himselfe honour by magnifying his Justice in the destruction of that Rebellious Tyrant This is a thing so agreeable to the Divine nature that thereby God is known to be God according to that of the Psalmist God is known by executing of judgement Hereby was he made knowen unto the Egyptians as he saith Exod. 7.5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt Yea vengeance is so proper unto God that he doth challenge it as his owne peculiar Deut. 32.35 Vengeance is mine I will repay Which place is twice quoted by the Apostle once Rom. 12 19. to diswade us from private revenge and againe Heb. 10 30. to deterre us from wilfull sinning Besides he is styled the Lord God of Vengeance twice Ps 94.1
of God in which they trusted could not free them from vengeance as the Lord himselfe forewarned them in the seventh chap. of this Prophecie Behold yee trust in lying words which cannot profit saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord will yee steale murther commit adultery sweare falsely burne incense unto Baal and walke after other Gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in my house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to doe all these abominations Is this house which is called by my â—ame become a den of robbers Therefore will I doe unto this house which is called by my name and wherein yee trust as I have done to to Shiloh and I will cast you out of my sight as I cast out all your brethren even the whole sâ—ed of Ephraim Yea those prerogatives and benefits which they had received were so farre from saving them in the day of vengeance that they did aggravate their guiltinesse and double their condemnation as is expressed Amos 3.2 you onely have I knowne of all the families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities as if he should say because I blessed you more then others seeing now that you prove unthankfull I will punish you more then others God useth his former benefits as arguments to prove that judgements were due unto them for these three follow of course Ingentia beneficia ingentia peccata ingentes poenae where God vouchsafeth to conferre great benefits upon a Nation and they answer him with great sins certaine it is that great judgements will enâ—ue How doth our Saviour take on against these Cities where he had preached and wrought many miracles and they were not converted Woe be to thee Corazin Woe be to thee Bethsaida woe be to thee Capernaum for if that the great workes that have beene doâ—e in thee had been done in Tyrus and Sydon in Sedome and Gomorrah they would have repented but it shall be easier for them of Tyrus for them of Sodome at the day of judgement then it shall be for you Matth. 11.20 c. So may I say unto many who now injoy the meanes of Salvation and have drunk deepe of the cup of Gods blessings and yet continue in their sins the time shall come when they shall cry out oh that I were of Sodome oh that I were of Gomorrah oh that I had beene borne a Turke a Pagan and never knowne the good Word of God rather then having knowne it to have turned away from the holy Commandement Let us not therefore flatter our selves in respect of an outward profession of the true Religion and because of the manifold blessings wherewith Almighty God hath blessed our Nations for when God once commeth out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities then the plea of Templum Domini will not serve the turne if reformation of the heart and life be wanting The Jewes because they had Abraham to their Father thought themselves free and could not endure to heare of bondange and indeed they were the seed of Iacob the only visible Church that God had yet when the faithfull City became an Harlot God gave her a bill of divorce his soule was avenged upon that Nation Good God if thy justice spared not Ierusalem what Nation can looke to escape The Apostle directs us what use we should make of all the punishments of the Iewes 1. Corin. 10.6 c. Now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evill things as they also lusted And that Scripture brings me to my generall application You have heard Gods threatning against his people in handling whereof I have proved that great sins procure not onely a visitation but a vengeance yea a speedy vengeance not only upon particular persons but even upon the whole Nation yea upon any Nation though never so neare and deare unto God as upon the Nation of the Iewes Now if we will reflect upon our selves we wil find that we may vie blessings with the Iewes blessings spirituall and blessings temporall the blessing of Peace the blessing of plenty the blessing of many great and extraordinary deliverances from out enemies and above all the inestimable blessing of the word of God And it fears me that we shall find we may tell sins with them also and overmatcht them by farte I pray you what were the sins for which God was pleased to execute vengeance upon his owne people Was it Epicurisme and fleshly lusts for these standâ—ne â—rest to the threatning in my Text when I had fed them to the full they then committed adultery they assembled themselves by troopes in the harlots houses they were as fed Horses in the morning every one neighed after his Neighbours wife Whereupon followeth this threatning shall I not visit for these things Or was their sinne Blood and Oppression Bribery and Injustice Fraud and Deceipt Robbery and Extortion Lying Avarice and Ambition Pride and Prodigality Oathes and Blasphemy Or was their sinne Ingratitude and Hypocrisie neglect of Gods word disobedience to his call abuse of his servants and prophanation of his Sabboths carnall security hardnesse of heart and contempt of Gods judgements Or was it corruption in worship and grosse idolatry Of all these crimes they stand indicted by the Prophets and in all these we have gone beyond them as Jerusalem justified Samaria so have we more then justified Jerusalem in all her abominations I will instance only in one or two Our Prophet saith Chap. 23.10 Because of swearing the Land mourneth And yet the least child in our streets could teach them all to sweare that sin could not be so very common amongst them for they had a custome to teare their clothes when they heard one to blaspheme if we should doe so in this age I am sure we should not leave a ragge upon our backs As we goe beyond them in swearing so also in lying never was there any Iow nor Frier either that had a face so impudent to devise such lies as now are published allowed rewarded as being the best meanes they have to advance their holy Cause Besides there are many sins common amongst us which were either rare or altogether unknowne unto the Iewes as Usury which was not practised by them except in their dealing with strangers neither doe we read of their Sacriledge till after their returne from the captivity Here if time would permit me to speake of your gaming dicing of your Masques and Stage-playes c. I could make it appeare that there are many great sinnes allowed amongst us which were not knowne vnto the Iewes not so much as heard of in Sodome or Gomorrah We haue new devices to cozen with new inventions to pamper our bodies and sacrifice to our panch new fashions to be proud with new oathes to blaspheme with new dressings and tires of women to provoke lust we have a