Saul Ierobeam Achaz of whom it is said that in the time of his tribulation hee did yet trespasse more against the Lord. But whensoever afflictions doe drive a man to repentance it is not properly of themselves that they produce so good an effect but by accident as they are so disposed by the infinite wisedome power and goodnesse of God to whom onely it is proper to worke by contraries hee brings light out of darkenesse good out of evill by sinne hee condemned sinne by death hee destroyed death by the foolishnesse of preaching hee makes us wise hee casts us downe that hee may rayse us up hee workes joy out of feare heaven out of hell and by the Crosse which naturally doth banish a man from God hee makes us returne to him hee causeth this birth and fruite of sinne to kill the mother that brought it forth this temporarie punishment to become a fatherly chastisment whereby wee are preserved from the everlasting punishment of hels fire these testimonies of his wrath to become signes of his love and seales of his adoption and these curses of the Law and flashes of hell to become Evangelicall blessings and an ordinarie way whereby wee may travell toward his heavenly kingdome And therefore afflictions are fitly compared to the fire which purifieth the gold and consumeth the straw and to the winde which purgeth the Wheate and bloweth away the Chaffe and finally to the red Sea which was to the Israelites a way to the Egiptians a grave Now since afflictions produce so divers effects wee must labour to have our afflictions so sanctified as that wee may bee bettered by them To this effect First when wee are under anie Crosse wee must labour after tender hearts that wee may bee affected with griefe and paine for there is not a greater enemie to our profitting by afflictions then that senselesse indolencie Ierem. 5 â— whereby men are not affected with Gods judgements like those Israelites of whom the Prophet saith Thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed For when afflictions being added to our sinnes as a double waight cannot bruse our hearts and presse out of them sighes and groanes it is not likely that sinne alone will worke in them sorrow and remorse but on the other part if wee bee sensible of our afflictions then this worldly sorrow will make way for godly sorrow as a Needle doth for the threade Secondly let us remember that all the afflictions which doe befall us come from God This is another lett that hindereth many from profitting by afflictions even their blindnesse whereby they ascribe all their calamities wholy to secondarie causes and inferior meanes Amos 3 6 and never looke up to the hand of God striking them which is the chiefe cause for there is no evill in the Citie which the Lord hath not done Thirdly let us looke backe into our former courses and see what wee have done against God for hee would not strike us without a cause by this examination wee will come to a sight and sense of our sinnes wee will finde that wee have gone astray from God and have fallen because of our iniquitie Finally with the sense of our sinnes let us strive to get a sight of Gods mercie revealed in the Gospell remembring that hee is our God so will we desire to returne to him But the Prophet would not onely make them sensible of their fall but also of their sinne therefore he illustrates this argument from the cause Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie or because of thine iniquity Here observe That iniquitie procures a fall so that if wee have fallen then we have committed iniquitie if we commit iniquitie wee shall assuredly fall I say If wee have fallen we may accuse our iniquities which is the deserving cause of all our afflictions The Apostle tels us Rom 5 12 that by sinne death entred into the world and if it had not beene for sinne death whereby wee are to understand every thing that is penall and huttfull to the creature could never have found an entrie Rom 3 39 So the Church in the Lamentations Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Psalm 107 17 Man suffereth for his sinne And the Psalmist Fooles by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Prouerb 13 21 Salomon maketh affliction to bee as it were the shadow of sinne which doth alway attend it Affliction followeth sinners Proverb 22 8 and as our fals convince us to have committed iniquitie so our iniquities forewarne us of a fall For he that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction This doctrine is sufficiently proved by Scripture reason and experience God threatened Adam that at what time hee did eate of the forbidden Tree hee should die Everie sinne unto man is the forbidden Tree if wee meddle with it wee shall finde no better fruite upon it then Adam found the bitter fruite of death growes upon the pleasant Tree of sinne It is the sentence of the law Rom 6 23 Cursed is everie man that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law Iam 1 18. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul saying The reward of sinne is death And Iames Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Hee saith not that every sinne bringeth foorth death but onely sinne when it is finished or perfected that is come to an height for God in his mercie forgiveth sinnes not finished or at least hee tolerateth them till they come to perfection that the sinner may bee without all excuse but in his justice hee judgeth and condemneth sinnes consummate by hardnesse of heart and impenitencie as hee sheweth himselfe Amos 1.3 For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. As if hee had said if Damascus had sinned onely once in persecuting of my Church I would turne away my judgments but they have sinned often To three bee sensible of our afflictions then this worldly sorrow will make way for godly sorrow as a Needle doth for the threade Secondly let us remember that all the afflictions which doe befall us come from God This is another lett that hindereth many from profitting by afflictions even their blindnesse whereby they ascribe all their calamities wholy to secondarie causes and inferior meanes Amos. 3 6 and never looke up to the hand of God striking them which is the chiefe cause for there is no evill in the Citie which the Lord hath not done Thirdly let us looke backe into our former courses and see what wee have done against God for hee would not strike us without a cause by this examination wee will come to a sight and sense of our sinnes wee will finde that wee have gone astray from God and have fallen because of our iniquitie Finally with the sense of our sinnes let us strive to get a fight of Gods mercie revealed in the Gospell
remembring that hee is our God so will we desire to returne to him But the Prophet would not onely make them sensible of their fall but also of their sinne therefore he illustrates this argument from the cause Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie or because of thine iniquity Here observe That iniquitie procures a fall so that if wee have fallen then we have committed iniquitie if we commit iniquitie wee shall assuredly fall I say If wee have fallen we may accuse our iniquities which is the deserving cause of all our afflictionss The Apostle tels us Rom 5 12 that by sinne death entred into the world and if it had not beene for sinne death whereby wee are to understand every thing that is penall and huttfull to the creature could never have found an entrie Lam 1 39 So the Church in the Lamentations Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Psalm 107 17 Man suffereth for his sinne And the Psalmist Fooles by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Prouerb 13 21 Salomon maketh affliction to bee as it were the shadow of sinne which doth alway attend it Affliction followeth sinners Proverb 22 8 and as our fals convince us to have committed iniquitie so our iniquities forewarne us of a fall For he that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction This doctrine is sufficiently proved by Scripture reason and experience God threatened Adam that at what time hee did eate of the forbidden Tree hee should die Everie sinne unto man is the forbidden Tree if wee meddle with it wee shall finde no better fruite upon it then Adam found the bitter fruite of death growes upon the pleasant Tree of sinne It is the sentence of the law Rom 6 23. Cursed is everie man that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law Iam 1 1◠This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul saying The reward of sinne is death And Iames Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Hee saith not that every sinne bringeth foorth death but onely sinne when it is finished or perfected that is come to an height for God in his mercie forgiveth sinnes not finished or at least hee tolerateth them till they come to perfection that the sinner may bee without all excuse but in his justice hee judgeth and condemneth sinnes consummate by hardnesse of heart and impenitencie as hee sheweth himselfe Amos 1.3 For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. As if hee had said if Damascus had sinned onely once in persecuting of my Church I would turne away my judgments 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 turne away their punishment Againe of sinne finished it is not said that it deserveth death which is common to all sinne but that it bringeth forth death where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to bee delivered of that which hath beene conceived So that sinne when once it commeth to perfection is with childe of death and must needes bee delivered When Gods patience is abused it will become futie when the cup of Gods wrath is full it must of necessitie runne over when the measure of our iniquities is fulfilled then must God powre forth the vials of his wrath Psalm 5 5 And great reason there is why it must bee so if wee consider the justice of God the nature of sinne and the trueth of Gods threatning The justice of God is such that hee hateth sinne 2 Thes 2 6 and therefore will hee punish it The foolish shall not stand in thy sight saith David for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie reasoning from the nature of God Rom 2 32 God hateth iniquitie therefore hee will punish it And the Apostle It is a just thing with God Genes 18 20 to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you This is the justice of God which even the Gentils knew that they who commit such things are worthie of death Againe the nature of sinne is to crie The cry of Sodome is great It crieth citing us before the Tribunall of God as guiltie of lease Majestie it cryeth unto the heavens for vengeance provoking God to revenge and not suffering him to rest in heaven till hee hath inflicted punishment Finally Gods truth is such that none of his threatenings can fall to the ground but hee hath threatened a fall to iniquitie and according to his threatening hath hee executed his wrath upon impenitent sinners When the earth was filled with violence Genes 6 13 then God sent the floud upon the olde world When the crie of Sodome waxed great before God then sent hee Angels to destroy it Genes 19 15. Gen. 15.16 1. King 21 20. When the iniquitie of the Amorites was full then were they cast forth When Achab sold himselfe to worke evill in the sight of the Lord then did the Lord bring evill upon him When Ierusalem filled up the measure of their fathers Math 23 32 then they could not escape the damnation of hell When the sinnes of Babell are come to that height Revel 18 5. that they reach unto the heaven then will the Lord remember her iniquities Goe and enquire what is become of those famous Churches planted by the Apostles of Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. Are they not fallen by their iniquitie What is become of Gods owne people the Iewes They are fallen and that by their iniquitie as the Lord himselfe declareth Isaiah 50.1 Jerem. 49. 12. Behold for your iniquities are yee sold and because of your transgressions is your Mother forsaken Now if God spared not them How will hee spare us I may say unto you as the Lord doth to Idumea Behold they whose judgement was not to drinke of the cup that is they that were mine owne people and had not so much deserved punishment as thou have assuredly drunken and art thou hee that shall goe unpunished thou shalt not goe unpunished but thou shalt surely drinke of it If once our iniquities are come to the height then wee shall fall as they have fallen Now sinnes of a Nation are finished and come to the height when they are generall when they are not punished and when they are persevered in men continuing in their sinnes without repentance First I say when they are generall for so long as there bee onely some wicked men in a kingdome their sinnes are personall and cannot bring the judgements of God upon the whole land for tenne righteous men God would have spared Sodome Genes 6.12 but if sinne become generall That all flesh hath corrupted his way upon the earth Genes 19.4 then will the deluge bee universall likewise If all the men of Sodome from the young to the old even all the people from all quarters
conspire to commit filthinesse then shall the whole Citie be overthrowne Sinne was come to this height in Israel Isaiah 1 5 for saith Isaiah The whole head is sicke the whole heart heavie From the sole of the foote unto the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swelling and sores full of corruption A conspiracie saith the Lord himselfe is found among the men of Iudah and among the inhabitants of Ierusalem Ierem. 11.9 For why The children of Israel and the children of Iudah did evill even they their Kings their Princes their Priests and their Prophets the men of Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem Ierem. 32.32 In so much that the Lord saith to the Prophet Runne to and fro by the streetes of Ierusalem and behold now and know and enquire in the open places thereof if yee can finde a man or if there bee any that executeth judgement and seeketh the truth and I will spare it Ierem. 5.1 This generall revolt from God is expressed by this Prophet in the fourth Chapter The Lord hath a controversie with the land because there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land c. This was a generall and so a nationall sinne therefore is the punishment generall upon the Nation likewise vers 3. The land shall mourne and everie one that dwelleth therein shall bee cut off Secondly The sinnes of a Nation are come to an height when they are not punished by the Magistrate but all goe on in their courses without controlment Numb 25 â— When Phinehas smote the adulterous persons hee turned Gods anger away from the children of Israel and caused the plague to cease but where there is not a Phinehas to draw the sword for the punishment of vice there the guilt of these sinnes lye upon the land and draw downe the judgements of God upon a Nation In this case was Israel before her captivitie for this is expressed as a cause of their destruction They execute no judgement Ierem. 5.28 Isaiah 1.23 But as Isaiah speaketh Their Princes were rebellious and companions of theeves everie one loved gifts Chapt. 3. v. 4.11 Chapt. 5. vers 25. and followed after rewards Children were their Princes and women had rule over them they did justifie the wicked for reward A third degree of perfection in sinne is perseverance When men continue in sinne without repentance hardening their hearts against all admonitions Israel was come to this height also For the Lord sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising up earely and saying Ierem. 35.15 returne now every man from his evill way and amend your workes but they would not incline their eare nor obey and thereupon came their fall for it followeth in the Text. vers 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes behold I will bring upon Iudah and upon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem all the evill that I have pronounced against them because I have spoken unto them but they would not heare Now let us examine our selves and see whether wee bee come to such an height of iniquitie and I doubt we shall finde First that sinne raigneth universally like an Epidemicall disease that possesseth the whole bodie of the land There is in great men facriledge and oppression in officers briberie extortion and wresting of justice In the cleargie ignorance lazinesse and covetousnesse In tradesmen fraude and deceite In every corner Idolatrie robberie and shedding of bloud and What house is free from adulterie drunkennesse and swearing Next doe but consider whether these and many moe sinnes bee committed safely without punishment Oppression and sacriledge have greatnesse for their patron injustice briberie and extortion finde Lawyers to pleade their cause Idolatrie is but a sinne of tolleration De gubern Dei lib 5. incest and usurie are veniall in poore men and venall in the rich pride swearing drunkennesse and gluttonie are commendable because common as Salvianus complayned in his time In hoc scelus res devoluta ut nisi quis malus fuerit salvus esse non possit In plaine English except a man be thus wicked hee cannot bee reputed a good fellow Finally robberie parricide doe sometimes finde pardon And lastly Doe wee not persevere in these sinnes and fall away more and more hardening out hearts against all admonitions How then can wee escape a fall Yea have wee not fallen alreadie Consider but the estate of the reformed Churches how in their infancie when they were destitute of worldly power and all Princes and Potentates enemies unto them yet then they did stand maugre Antichrist and all his associats Gods protection was a wall of defence about them that the furie of their enemies could not come neere them and now when they were growne great in the eyes of the world and Kings were become their nursing fathers and Queenes their nursing mothers to protect Religion with the sword yet How hath the Lord humbled them and made them to fall before their enemies 2. Chron. 1.5.2 The reason hereof wee finde in that speech of Azariah the Prophet to King Asa The Lord is with you while yee are with him but if yee for sake him he will forsake you At first wee was with the Lord and then hee was with us but when we did forsake the Lord fall from our first love and zeale of our profession then did he breake downe the hedges Psalm 80. 12 and let in the wilde Bore out of the wood and the wilde beast out of the forrest to destroy this Vine which he had planted Lament 3.42 that wee may lament with Ieremie Wee have sinned and have rebelled therefore thou hast not spared Thus hath God made us to fall but unlesse wee returne unto him there is yet a greater fall to come The same God that made Nebuchadnezzar a scourge to his people can send the Spaniards to scourge us Cedreu hist. pag 512. When Phocas had built a mighty wall about his Pallace for his securitie in the night hee heard a voyce O King though thou build as high as the clouds yet the Citie will easily be taken the sin within will marre all So let us never make so much preparation for our defence Strâ— 57. yet unlesse we take a course with our sinnes they will betray us into the hands of our enemies For saith Ambrose Graviores sunt inimici mores pravi quam hostes infesti Our sinnes are enemies more to be feared then armed men If God be with us Who can bee against us If wee stand against God Who can withstand him Now to shut up all in a word It is plaine that wee have gone astray as farre as Israel did for what is the vanitie after which wee have not gone a whoring and now our iniquities are come to that height Ion. 3 8. 9. that they forewarne us of a fall Therefore let every man turne from his evill way and from the wickednesse in their hand Who can tell if God will turne repent and turne away from his fierce wrath that wee perish not Yea I can tell that if wee repent hee will turne away his wrath Isaiah 55 6. for he desireth not the death of a sinner and even now when the Axe is layd to the roote of the Tree Hos 2.7 hee cals us to repentance Therefore seeke the Lord while hee may bee found call upon him while hee is neere take up the resolution of repenting Israel I will goe and returne to my first husband for then it was better with me then now follow the counsell of the Prophet in the words following my Text. Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us gratiously so will wee render the calves of our lips Ashur shall not save us wee will not ride upon horses neyther will wee say any more to the worke of our hands yee are our Gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie Hee is our God and therefore if wee seeke him hee will bee found of us and as hee hath wounded us so hee will heale us hee will even give us beautie for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse and make the bones which he hath broken to rejoyce To this God even our God c. FINIS ERRATA sic CORRIGE IN the Epistle Dedicatory l. 8. for yea reade I l. 13 for our reade an l. 30 for professor reade protector p. 7. l. 12 for heale reade healed p. 7. l. 16 for occasion reade reason p. 10 l. 17. for thus reade this p. 11. l 39 for was to come reade was come