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cause_n	work_n	workman_n	write_v	13	3	5.3017	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91944	The figg-less figg-tree: or, The doome of a barren and unfruitful profession lay'd open. In an exposition upon that parable: a certain man had a figg-tree planted in his vineyard, &c. Luke 13. 6,7,8,9,10. / By Nehemiah Rogers, a minister of the Gospel of Christ.	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1659 (1659)	Wing R1823; Thomason E973_1; ESTC R203371	458,183	541

good through his blessing becoming means to draw his Elect nearer to the chiefest good yea let God's Judgments go as high as they can in this World in Plaguing of the wicked Etsi novum videtur quod dicere volo saith Origen dicam tamen Though it be-strange that I will say I will say it Etiam bonitas Dei est qui dicitur furor ejus that which we call the anger of God the wrath of God the Fury of God is the goodnesse of God Luther goes yet higher Hell it self is full of God and the chief good no lesse then Heaven for the Justice of God which shines forth in the damnation of the wicked is God himself and God is the chiefest good And thus much of the Objections made against the Doctrine delivered Let me now shew you the Grounds of it Reas 1 First God is the first and supream cause of all and all second causes are subordinate unto him and but inferiour means to work his Will and in their subordinate operations they are but in the nature of Instruments to the first cause And however there is in Nature a concatenation and linking of Causes together whereby inferiour Causes are subordinate one to another yet so as that all hold their subordination unto God who is the first and principal Cause Hos 2.21 22. I will hear the Heavens saith God and the Heavens shall hear the Earth Hos 2.21 22. and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall hear Jezreel Man standeth in need of food food is not provided without the help of the Earth the Earth is not fruitful without the Dew of Heaven the Heavens cannot send their rain without God's appoyntment So that he is the principal Cause and first Mover who sets all inferiour means on Work one Creature stands in need of another and depends upon one anothers help none of them can help or work without the next cause to which it is subordinate but all depends upon God he hears them all and by that vertue which they receive from him the first and chief Cause they have all their vertue and efficacy without which they could do nothing In regard whereof all the Effects and Actions of secundary causes are not so properly the effects of them as of that cause which is fi●st and principal As the Scribe is more properly sayd to write than the pen which he writeth with and the Workman to do the work rather then the tools which he useth as his Instruments in doing of the Work So the Lord Who is the chief Agent and first Mover in all Actions may more fitly and properly be sayd to effect and bring things to passe then any inferiour or subordinate Cause they being but his Instruments that he works by Who ever then may have a hand in afflicting and punishing of us they are but Instruments as the Rod or Axe in his hand to effect his good will and pleasure he it is that works by them Reas 2 Secondly To revenge is God's Prerogative Three things he reserves to himself The glory of Works and Actions the Judgment of Secrets and the Revenge of Injuries saith one And he saith no more then what the Scripture saith in so saying For it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord Rom. 12.19 Where we see Rom. 12.19 1st God's Challenge Vengeance is mine 2ly His Execution of it I will Repay 3ly His Subscription of his great name thereunto saith the Lord. And that this is the Lords true Act and Deed and a Faithful Copy out of the Original St. Paul the Register of God's Holy Spirit gives witnesse with Scriptum est It is written And so we find it Deut. 32.35 Deut. 32.35 God sometimes may send us our payment by the hand of the Ministers of the Word Who have Vengeance in a readinesse against all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 which Vengeance is spiritual saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.6 and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds verse 6. And is to be understood especially of the threatnings and denunciations of God's Judgments against offenders but the Execution is left to God for that we know He will repay and in his own time fullfil And sometimes that Vengeance is Corporal reaching but the Body which is partly inflicted by his substitutes the Magistrate or other Messengers of his wrath Rom. 13.4 Rom. 13.4 And partly referred to the Lords own hand immediately to inflict Particularly in this Life and Generally at the last great Day of Vengeance 2 Thes 1.8 Whether Vengeance taken 2 Thes 1.8 be mediate or immediate upon Body or Soul or both We know him that hath sayd Vengeance is mine Heb. 10.13 and I will recompence saith the Lord Heb. 10.13 Reas 3 Lastly Every good thing is of God so teacheth St. James 1.17 Jam. 1.17 Now if every punishment be a good thing though not simply in it self and in its own nature but as it is a just work and having a good end as before hath bin shewed we must needs conclude that it hath God for the Authour whoever be the Instrument But this is a Poynt that needs not so much evident Demonstration as serious Consideration and right and seasonable Application which now we fall upon Use 1 From this that hath bin delivered of God's being the principal Author and Efficient of those evils which do befall us They of the Church of Rome would make the World believe that we of the Reformed Church make God to be the Author of sin and that the Adultery of David Treason of Judas c. by our Doctrine were the proper work of God which is a Devilish slander that they cast upon us This we say that in a sinful Action there are two things Actio and Actionis irrectitudo there is an Entity Being or Action and there is of that Entity Being or Action a crookednesse obliquity or naughtinesse which is Actionis Malitia as they call it unlawfulnesse transgression pravity that in every such action is contained Prim. Secun Quest 71. Art 6. Conclus Quest 79. Art 2. Conclus Act. 17.28 And so Aquinas himself doth teach us to distinguish and illustrates the same in a lame legg wherein are two qualities ability to go but inability to go upright the going and stirring that it hath is from the virtue that moveth it from God Almighty in whom we live move and have our beeing But the lamenesse and debility of the legg belongeth to another Cause Distortion Crookedness or some other Impotency in the legg it self So the action or motion it self in every evil action is from a good Author but the evil in the action from a bad Author even from the impure fountain of man's corrupt heart whose imaginations are evil and onely evil continually But our Church hath bin justified by her Children sufficiently in this poynt I passe it Use 2 There are

is sinne And this saith he none denyeth but the wicked only This he proveth for that vertues must be defined not by actions but by the end and likewise from the absurdity which otherwise would follow that an evill Tree should bring forth good fruit contrary to the saying of Christ before mentioned Thus then we answer this cavill Quoad substantiam operis Quoad modum Rom. 2.14 A thing done may be good in the Substance of the work and yet evill in the Manner of doing of it The Substance of every moral Action is its Conformity with the Rule of goodnesse that is the Law when that thing is done which is commanded by the Justice and Equity of the Law and thus the Gentiles which did by nature the things conteined in the Law did good And this Moral goodness in heathen men was without doubt pleasing and acceptable unto God so farr forth as that he liked the work and approved of it with that common allowance which he affords to all things Gen. 20.6 that bear any stamp of his own goodnesse The Circumstances or Manner of the Action consists in the Efficient cause or Person that doth the work and in the End or Scope that he proposeth to himself in the doing of it Heb. 11.4 In the Person is required Sanctification that the work may be acceptable And in the End a right Intention for albeit a good Intention makes not an Action good yet without a good Intention 1 Cor. 10.31 the Action cannot be accepted as good in God's sight The Glory of God in Christ must be the Scope of all our Actions And herein the Heathen failed as doth every other man in the state of Nature their Persons were unholy their consciences defiled their purposes perverse and crooked c. And so albeit the work they did was Ethically and Morally good in the sight of men and to humane purposes yet not being cloathed with all due circumstances they were not Theologically and Divinely good such as to be accepted of into any special favour of Grace yea so far were they from being so that they were no better in God's account then glorious sins Splendida peccata Aug. and beautifull deformities seemed they never so glorious in the eyes of men the like is to be conceived of the works of every unregenerated Person Use 2 Wherefore let every one that would bring forth good fruit and have some comfortable assurance of God's accptance thereof look to his planting Let our gifts of Nature be never so great and excellent yet Va soli Wo to Nature if she go alone Judg. 4.8 Barach durst not venture upon Sisera without Debora went with him no more may Nature venture upon any holy duty without Grace nor shall wee be esteemed for any other Trees then Barren and fruitlesse Joh. 15.4.5 whilst we remain in our naturall soyl of Corruption Without me saith our Saviour you can do nothing The Bud of a good desire the Blossome of a good resolution and the Fruit of a good action all proceeds from our spiritual plantation and ingrafting into Christ who is that Root from whence we have both sap and safety Object But we are all within the Vineyard branches of God's own planting we believe in Christ professe his name c. Resp. And it is a great mercy that we are so many Priviledges belong unto us in being so as the Apostle speaketh of the Jews Rom. 3.2 Wisd 4.9 Rom 3.2 But that external Plantation may not be rested in there are Adulterinae Plantationes Bastard Plants as Wisdom termeth them such as are not planted with that spiritual and internal planting before spoken of Thy planting it may be is from man's Injunctions Joh. 19.12 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.4 or out of some By or Politique respect If you do thus or thus you are not Caesar's friend Or by the Tradition of your Fathers or else the enticing speech of so me man's wisdom humane perswasions effected it and such as these are not Plants of the Father's planting Mat. 15.13 It affoards no further strength then to produce Figg-leavs meer formall and hypocritical Conformities wherewith to cover our nakednesse as Adam did after his fall The Father's planting is into the state of Grace and Regeneration and doth cause us to participate of the life sap and influence of the Root which kind of internal planting is that and onely that which will affoard us true and solid comfort without which the other will but subject men unto sorer condemnation for despising Christ in his Word and Spirit with whom in their Baptism they made so solemn a Covenant Vse 3 You therefore that professe your selvs to be branches of God's planting look to it that the fruits of your plantation be seen in your conversations If Figgs be not found under your leavs where shall we think to find them shall we gather Figgs from Thistles or can we think to find them sooner on the tree growing by the way-fide than on the tree that is planted in the Vineyard of the Lord And yet I read of ten Lepers that were cured by Christ of their Leprosy Luk. 17.16 17. and but one of them returned thanks and he was a Samaritane a stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel God's own arable would not pay the Tythe the wild Forrest did it Act 18.2 And St. Paul finds more kindnesse amongst Barbarians than his own Countrymen they receive him out of the Rain and Cold when his own Nation shall whip him and turn him into the Rain and Cold. Shall Mercy and Fidelity be without the Church and falshood be found in it shall Turks be given to good works as building of Temples Colledges Hospitals and we who call our selvs Christians and Believers spend our Zeal in defacing and demolishing of them Shall they make conscience of their Vows Promises Dealings and we that professe better come short of them many paces What a dishonour would this be to our Religion shame to our Profession And yet so it is to our shame be it spoken that many of us who have blessed means of direction and instruction for the due ordering of our hearts and lives which the Heathen want may yet be sent to School to learn moral honesty of them both in the detestation of grosse enormities and in the conscionable practise of many vertues Woe to such as give occasion to any to tell the World that it is better to trust a Pagan than a Professor and to have dealing with a Turk rather than with a Christian I know not how any such can make their peace with that of our Saviour Unlesse your Righteousnesse shall exceed the Righteousnesse of the Scribes Mat. 5.20 and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Unlesse we have a Righteousness that goes beyond theirs how can we think to escape the nethermost Hell if we exceed them in unrighteous

amiably upon thee when thou comest into his presence Doth he vouchsafe to meet thee and cause the light of his Countenance to shine upon thee Doth he speak unto thee as he doth unto his Peace Psal 85.8 Psal 85.8 Doth he not rather hide his face from thee and wit●draw himself his favour and his loving kindnesse insomuch that thou findest no sweetnesse no comfort in the performance of holy Duties no work of his blessed spirit in quickening strengthning comforting of thee If so thou mayst justly fear that thou art already cast forth and spiritually excommunicated from having fellowship with God from Christ and from the blessed spirit of grace and hast great cause to cry out with David Psal 22.1 My God My God Psal 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken me Again art thou not a withered Christian strangely altered in thy Judgment from what thou wert Thou formerly esteemedst the Church of England to be the true Church of Christ Her Ministers true Ministers lawfully sent and called the Word by them taught thou receivedst as the Word of God himself 1 Thes 2.13 Sacraments by them administred as being of Divine institution not of Humane invention but now it is otherwise with thee Thy Mother whose Womb bare thee and whose papps have given thee suck thou now defamest esteemest Her for a strumpet albeit She be thy Mother Her Servants the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments are in thy account Antichristian the Ordinances but Mens traditions and as much good may be got thou thinkest by the hearing of a Cobler or Tinker in a Stable as by hearing any of these Ministers in a Steeple house as thou termest it Are not thy Affections to holy Dutyes growen cold and chill like David in his old age no heat in them 2 King 1.1 Luke 24.32 Thou Hearest Readest Prayest c. but without a●● Life or Spirit In former times thy spirit did even burn within thee and was stirred up with indignation against Swearing Sabbath-breaking and open prophanesse Now thou art of Gallio's temper Act. 18.17 and art come to a state of Neutrality and canst disgest it well enough to hear and see these yea and greater abominations then these And is there not a manifest withering in thy life and whole conversation Thou seemed'st to be strict in thy wayes now art waxed loose and carelesse Thou wert seemingly careful of sanctifying the Sabbath now all care of that is layd aside as a matter meerly ceremoniall Family Duties wholly omitted if not scorned and derided Thy green leaves are withered so that comparing what thou art to what thou hast bin it may be said of thee what the Disciples said of the Figg-Tree that Christ had cursed Mat. 21.20 Mat. 21.20 Good Lord Master how soon is it withered Lastly Art thou not in the number of those that separatest they self from the publique Assembly and joynest to the society of Seducers Hast thou not bin carryed away with Schism or Heresie or some strange fantastical opinion or other and so art bound up in the same bundle with Sectaries as Anabaptists Quakers Seekers and such like and joyned with them as members of their congregated Churches If thou hast not proceeded so far yet expect that this will follow as a just Judgment of God upon thy withering if thou repent not and after such a faggorting and binding up what can be expected but the fire and such withered and dryed Trees will make the fiercest and hottest fire Nah. 1.10 because they are most seared and as fuell fully dry Nah. 1.10 Vse 3 Wouldst thou then be out of fear of this dreadful Sentence as the Apostle speaking of higher Powers then do that which is good Rom. 13.3 and bring forth the Fruit of a godly Life for this sentence is not a terror to the good and fruitful Christian but to the bad and barren Barrenness of the Womb was ever held amongst the Jews for a Curse and a Reproach For a Curse So Michol was punished for her scoffing as Davids devotion and Abimilech was plagued for taking away Abraham's wife from him 2 Sam. 6.23 so saith the Text the Lord had fast closed up all the Wombs of Abimilechs house because of Sarah Abraham's wife But upon Abrahams prayer God healed Abimilech and his Wife Gen. 20.17 18. and his Mayd-Servants and they bare Children Gen. 20.17 18. Give them O Lord what wilt thou give them give them a miscarrying Womb and dry Breasts Hos 9.14 Explained Paraeus in loc saith the Prophet concerning Ephraim Hos 9.14 which words howbeit they are uttered by way of Intercession and not of Imprecation out of affection to that People and not out of indignation against them he preferring the lesse evil before the greater the miscarrying Womb and dry Breast before the bringing forth of Children and nourishing of them up to Idolatry and slaughter yet it implyes that it was a Judgment to be barren albeit far lesse then that which was foretold by the Prophet that should befall Ephraim that he should bring forth Children unto the murtherer that is they should fall under the hand of a murthering Enemy And as it was esteemed for a Curse amongst them so likewi●e it was a shame and a reproach as the Mother of the Baptist intimates in that saying of hers Luk. 1.25 Luke 1.25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the dayes wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach from amongst men albeit since the coming of Christ we have not the same opinion of it nor the same reason But the barrennesse of the Womb is nothing being compared with the Curse and Plague of a dry and barren heart albeit by many lesse respected who being barren can cry out with Rachel Gen. 30.2 Give me Children or else I dye but thorgh the Heart be barren of grace and the life of good works upon which death will inevitably follow there is little or no complaint made of that Hannah bitterly lamented the barrenness of her body 1 Sam. 1.7 insomuch that she did neither eat nor drink nor had she any heart to go up unto the Temple to offer sacrifice how then can any barren soul eat or drink with a merry heart being not onely near unto Cursing as the Apostle speaketh but under it as Damocles one of Dionysius his Parasites was under the glittering Sword which hung over his head only by a bristle of a Horse's upper lip as he sat in the midst of his choysest delicates Heb. 6.8 Solomon tells us that a barren Womb is one of the four things that cryes out Give give and is never satisfied Prov. 30.15 16. I would we could add this as the fifth the barren heart Lord God What wilt thou give me seeing I go Childlesse said Abraham to God Gen. 15.2 Gen. 15.2 The want of that did put his mouth so out of taste that he could relish nothing not his Victory mentioned

and cannot do other than right unlesse he should deny himself which is altogether impossible for him to do Gen. 18 25. Deut. 32.4 Job 8.3 34.10 11 Rom. 3.5 6. Secondly He is gracious and slow to anger Exod. 34. Favours are from God's own bowels but Judgments alwaies are forced as the Bee stings not till it be provoaked Thus it is in the maine Poynt of a man's eternall estate man's Salvation is ex mero beneplacito The gift of God is eternall life but his damnation is never without a cause in man The Soul that sinneth shall dy so is it in this case of lesser Good or Evill We may make good Use of this Vse in all Judgments and afflictions that befall our selves or others seem they never so severe Let us learn to justify God and clear him from all injustice Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 David indeed complained justly of his enemies that they persecuted him without a cause Psal 35.19 that is In respect of them he had given them no cause so to do but who can charge God with this injustice but he must charge God foolishly and impiously He never smites till he be provoked nor alwaies then God when he doth smite exacteth lesse of us then our sins deserve as Zophar said to Job 11.6 An Ounce of Judgment was never without a Pound of Sin Yet when any Judgment lyes upon us we are too apt to think that God deals therein over-severely with us and are ready to cast a sullen frown upon God with Cur me coedis Why dost thou smite me It is storied of Titus Vespasianus the Emperour that lying on his death bed and looking up to heaven he complained of his Gods saying Immerenti sibi vitam eripi That he deserved not to dy having never committed any thing in his whole life whereof he repented but one surely he had so much the more cause to repent him now But why speak I of him Job was a holy godly man and confessed his own vilenesse and guiltinesse before God as appears Job 40.4 yet he had in himself a secret conceit that he was not so vile and sinfull as to deserue such heavy Afflictions as God had laid upon him which was the reason of God's so speaking to him Job 40 4. Ver. 8. vers 8. Wilt thou also disanull my Judgment Wilt thou condemn me that thou maist be righteous The best of us are apt under heavy afflictions to disanull God's proceedings with us and question God's righteous proceedings therein but this may not be we may not give liberty to tongue or thought to murmur or repine under God's stroaks But First Learn Silence Job 4.4 6. Psal 39 9. and with Job to lay our hands upon our mouths Job 40.4 5. and with David Psal 39.9 to be dumb nor onely bind our Tongues to the good behaviour that they do not speak impatiently against God but our very Hearts must be kept from inward repining and fretting against him Psal 62.1 Psal 62.1 Truly my Soul keepeth silence unto God Secondly Acknowledge God to be just in all that hath befallen us I have sinned said holy Job What shall I do to thee Job 7.20 Psal 119.75 ô thou Preserver of men This David confessed I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Psal 119.75 Which saying of David Mauntius the Emperour used when his Children were slain before his eyes and after that his own eyes put out Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy Judgments Thus it should be with us in all Judgments that befall a Land or Nation seem they never so severe and sharp Let us learn to justify God therein As did the Princes of Israel and the King himself When God punished them by Shishak they said The Lord is righteous 2 Chr. 12.6 Lam. 1.18 Neh. 9.33 Dan. 9.14 Mich. 7.9 2 Chron. 12.6 the like confession did the Church make Lament 1.18 So Neh. 9.33 Dan. 9.14 Mich. 7.9 They have not onely confessed God's righteousnesse therein but his Goodnesse and Mercy some mitigation of the rigour of Justice some cause of admiring rather his Indulgence towards them than of repining against him for his severe dealing with them Lam. 3.22 Lament 3.22 It is the Lord's Mercy that we are not utterly consumed that is from being a People because his compassions fail not Thirdly Patiently bear the soarest correction that God is pleased to lay upon us out of this perswasion that we have deserved more Thus Ezra speaking of the extream Judgment of God upon his People in the Babylonish Captivity which was the extreamest and heaviest Judgment that ever God had inflicted upon any people under Heaven as appears by that we read Lam. 1.12 Dan. 9.12 yet he confesseth Lam. 1.12 Dan. 9.12 Ezr. 9. 13 Thou our God hast punished us lesse than our Iniquities deserve Ezra 9.13 When their uncircumcised heart is humbled saith God then they shall accept of the punishment of their Iniquity Lev. 26.41 Mich. 7.9 10. Levit. 26.41 that is they shall willingly bear them Well may that Offender bear a brand in the hand who saves his neck Mich. 7.9 10. Ransack thine own heart and thou shalt find that thou hast deserved that which thou sufferest more 1 Joh. 3.20 and if thy conscience condemn thee God is greater Fourthly If in case the Cause and Reason of God's severity be unknown unto us yet let us learn to justify God therein resting assured that there is Cause enough albeit as yet we have not found it out His Judgments are somtimes secret but alwaies just It is not possible that he should do any wrong to any of his Creatures his Will is the Rule of Justice and every thing is right because it is his Will to have it so But besides this there is some particular Cause or Reason why God writes such bitter things against us Job 13.26 1 Sam. 17.29 2 Sam. 21.1 Jer. 8.6 Ezek. 16.43 Therefore as David answered his Brother so answer thy repining Soul 1 Sam. 17.29 What hath God now done is there not a Cause Therefore Fifthly Search out the Cause if it may be as did David 2 Sam. 21.1 God blam●s the want of this Jer. 8.6 Ezek. 16.43 But how may we find out the particular Cause for which God punisheth us Quest What must be done in this case God doth so order his Judgments commonly Resp. that in the Punishment we may see the Sin and in the Sin foresee the Punishment Sometimes the very Punishment and Circumstances of it shewes us the Cause God many times punisheth us in the like kind Jud. 1.6 7. 1 Sam. 15.33 Exod. 1.22 Talia quisque luat qualia quisque facit Euseb l. 9. c. 9. Bodin l. 6. de Rep. Lin. Decad. 1. 1 King 21.19 Jer. 7.32 as in Adonibezeck's Case Judg. 1.6 7. And in Agag's Case 1 Sam. 15.33 And Pharaoh's Case Exod. 1.22 He

are to be tryed all Patience to be practised and all Wisdom to be exercised all occasions to be taken that probably may prevail to do him good still a wicked man is to be pityed still to be loved still to be mourned for and wished well unto and whoso is wanting in his duty herein hath much to answer for before God None may give over using the means of a Sinner's reclaiming till there be no hope at all And there is hope whilst there is life Should God in deed reveal unto the Church the Reprobation of any Sinner saith Augustine Aug. lib. 22. de civ Dei c. 24. the Church ought no more to pray that such a man might be saved than they are to pray for the Salvation of Devills and of damned Spirits to whom our charity extendeth not as being uncapable of beatifical Vision But that God hath not done of any one save onely of them that sin against the Holy Ghost which no private man but onely the whole Church of God is fit to judge of Yet by the Event God revealeth His Justice and cut off all hope of amendment by death And in such a Case we should rest contented and bless His Name for their ruine But this Doctrine makes against Christian Charity which teacheth us to lament for the misery of Sinners Object in their Sufferings And Esth 8.6 Can I endure said Esther to see the evill that shall come unto my People or how can I endure to see the destruction of my Kindred Esther 8.6 We must look upon the Judgments that fall upon Sinners Resp with a double aspect Look upon them as they tend to the destruction of the Creature we then lament but if we look upon them as they set forth the Glory of God's Justice we joyfully approve of them and rejoyce in them How often hath a wise Judge passed Sentence upon a Malefactor with tears in his Eyes being moved with indignation as they are Malefactors but with compassion as they are miserable men Green wood laid upon the fire both weeps and burns it weeps at the ends and burns in the middle A deep Vally is clear on the one side yet cloudy on the other so may a Christian mourn in one respect and grieve in another When Joseph fell upon his Brother Benjamin's neck his Eyes were full of tears when his heart was full of Joy These works of Justice are like to those double-faced pictures look upon them one way and you may behold an ugly shape and visage change your posture and look upon them another way and you shall see a faire and beautiful Person Look up to God and we have cause to rejoyce Look upon a Sinner and there is great cause to mourn saith Luther Luther Tom. 1. fol. 39. In short we are to be affected in all Judgments that are inflicted on Sinners as the Author of them is who delights not in them as they make the Creature miserable but as they make His Justice glorious Now let us apply the Poynt Use 1 Me-thinks this being laid to heart by such as remain obdurate and impenitent notwithstanding all the means that hath been used for their amendment should somewhat startle them It was a sad Speech and piercing that I have heard a godly Mother did sometimes use to a wretchlesse and ungratious Child whom she had often admonished over whom she had often lamented and shed tears and for whom she had often prayed but nothing prevailing with him she at length used this Speech unto him Seeing my Sighs my Tears my Perswasions will not prevail know this that the time is coming if God gives thee not Repentance that I shall rejoyce in thy condemnation and destruction And it is a truth For however in this World we cannot but condole and bewail the misery and ruine of those we do affect as David did his Absolom albeit we rest satisfied with the righteous Judgment of God therein yet at the last day there will not be the least sorrow for it we shall as well rejoyce in their Damnation as in the Salvation of others Oh! What wofull Lamentation will wretched Sinners make at that day when there shall be found not any Friend to pity them to send forth one Sigh for them nor shew any Compassion unto them M●serable Creature to whom wilt thou turn thee Not amongst all the Celestial Company shall you find one Comforter in that day of Vengeance Not one to speak a word for you No Dresser of the Vineyard no Minister no Intercessor to be heard making such a suit for an unprofitable Figg-Tree Lord spare it one year more Children may call upon their Parents begg their Prayers desire some tender Compassion from them but to little purpose Parents may desire their Children to speak one word for them and in their behalf they may adjure them by the Womb that bare them and Papps that gave them suck to think on their misery and solicite on their behalf but all labour is lost No Compassion no naturall Affection will be left no regard will be had of Kindred Friends Alliance c. God's Glory onely shall be regarded by the Godly They will not only be satisfied and contented with the just Judgments of God upon you but blesse God for it and rejoyce in it Use 2 And whilst we are here upon the Earth let us learn to glorify God in respect of His Justice and to conform our Wills in all those Judgments that befall our selves or others to His most holy and blessed Will It is a Lesson I know very hard for Flesh and Blood to learn By nature we are apt to question the Righteousnesse of God at least secretly in our hearts in many of His Judgments Rom. 3.5 as the Apostle intimates Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous that taketh Vengeance I speak as a man As if he should say I make not this Objection of my self but every natural man is apt to speak and think so and judge amisse of God's Justice and charge Him of cruelty and hardnesse as I might shew you in particular about the Poynt of Election and Reprobation How apt are men to call the Equity of God's Decrees into question and peremptorily to conclude that the waies of God are not equall in rejecting the greatest part of Man-kind and damning them for their Sins whom He had before-hand pre-ordained to destruction But why speak I of vain and wicked men We shall find that the very best of us are to seek in this Lesson we are too too apt to murmur and repine at his corrections and be discontented with His Judgments as if they were too rigorous and severe and so we judge not only of such as are inflicted on our selves as did Job and Jeremiah but oftentimes of those which are inflicted upon others David was greatly displeased because the Lord smore Vzzah with death for so small a fault as he imagined that to be 2 Sam. 6.6 7 8. in