Israel of ever blessed memory upon whose Tombe you may finde them engraven in these golden particulars Religion reformed peace well grounded honour at sea restored rebellion extinguisht England long and well governed Scotland freed from the French Ireland pacified the Netherlands supported and Spain awed So that our Nationall mercies then concur'd with our justice to exalt our Nation Prince and people then having but one heart and minde contested in nothing more then to out-vie each other in their mutuall offices of love on the one side and obedience on the other a friendly part indeed That was the time when the shepherd could drive and fold his sheep the Clothiers carry their woven fleeces for the common good and their private gain without fear of Troopers then might Ministers preach the word with boldnesse and study the truth without interruption that have of late been fain to hide themselves and their books and glad to escape so then might the Husbandman plant and plow sowe and reap and grow honestly rich without danger whereas now it is guilt enough to have any goods found in their houses glad they have been to fling the plough into the hedge and think it well to part with their horse and harnesse upon condition they may be favoured so far as not to drive and draw away their own goods O sirs To be rob'd and spoil'd of such mercies as it is our shamefull misery so a just requitall of their abuse which God hath threatned to a people in our case 2 Chron. 15. vers. 6. 7. In those times there was no peace to him that went out or to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversitie Who can say Blessed are the people that are in such a case Or if any should be so far a Laodicean as in this nakednâ—sse and misery to think so who that hath his senses could beleeve his report That which seals up our misery we have no redresse for the present on this side heaven when Authority hath been solicited with tears and prayers Answers have been returned that have begotten more tears Froward children will cry when they draw more bloud then milk yet hard to say which suffers or sorrows most the nurse or suckling This sad Assembly hath heard with both ears the common voice of our complaint That the summer is ended the harvest past and we are not saved to which answers have been returned that savour of sorrow rather then anger Not like that of the King of Israel in Naamans case rending his cloathes and suspecting a quarrell but when he put forth a better passion and more suteable to the plaintiffs case that mov'd him for justice in the siege of Samaria at what time they made eating of children by first and second courses this wrought upon him rather sadnesse then wrath and accordingly he answers If the Lord help thee not how can I help thee out of the barne-floor or the wine-presse But the while what shall we say next It is pity to draw too violently at a sore breast our next work must be to lie as quiet as we may untill the Lord open the eyes of our State to see a fountain which we are to hope is aâ— hand though we see it not In the meane time wee should do wel to pity those tender breasts that have been drawn out to the full for our sakes and to give in our discharge as far as in us lies what concerns the great account is above us but for our parts we may and must give up a free and humble discharge as Saint Paul to the Church at Corinth 2 Cor. 7. 11. The self same thing that you sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yâ—a what clearing of your selves c. In all these things you have approved your selves clear in this matter Briefly to close up this point That which concerns all both Prince and people Magistrate and Minister is to consider what we have to do and suffer in our severall capacities That we have been rob'd and spoil'd is granted on all sides and the calamity being common the mischief of plundering is made matter of merry discourse But I beseech yee let us be better advised by the Prophet Isai. Cap. 8. 11 13. not to say as some say or to do as others do but to sanctifie the Lord in our hearts and make him our feare which if we did we shall then be ashamed of this Nationall sinne and penalty of ours When a captive or malefactour come to caper in his chains and play with them he gives his Keepers occasion to double the weight of them I beseech ye let these we have keep us low and lower yet at the throne of grace and as we have sent some hue and crie after these robbers and spoilers so let us send up as many sighes and tears to think that no lesse penalty would serve our turns then to be made the scorne of our enemies and the pity of all good men And surely the Wiseman wanted not for wisdome and pity when he speaks of a case directly like ours and prefers death before it Eccles. 4. 1 2 3. So I returned and considered the oppressions and beheld the tears of the oppressed that had no comforter c. And hard case when the distressed soul shall crie for more weight that he may be rid of his life and burden at once This shall suffice for the penalty which we see is very sad and shamefull From the penalty inflicted we proceed to the cause alledged and the point thence arising is this The Lord seldome or never inflicts these but upon great and weighty considerations To conceive aright of these we must know there are some ordinary penalties whereof as man makes not so God gives not any speciall accompt these we may call Mala quotidianae incursionis penalties of course but not causelesse Our just God inflicts them and the just man may fall into them seven times a day like gold into the fornace seven times tried and arise with advantage These come and go de facto without any other remarkable note upon them beside the generall rule and end of all viz. Gods glory Of this kinde our Saviour speaks Joh. 9. 3. when his Disciples took it for granted that the blinde man or his parents were extraordinary delinquents to which Christ answers nay as elsewhere in the case of the Galileans Luke 13. 1. Giving them and us to know that it is not safe to make any sowre or severe comment upon the dark passages of his providence unlesse he please with his own finger to point at them his interpretation being only safe and sound and where he denies and doth not distinguish we are to rest in the wise
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