Reproach of the Solemn Assembly Have you not been sensible Our Saviour Christ expounds the one by the other There came to Christ the Disciples of John saying Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft but thy Disciples fast not Jesus said unto them Can the Children of the Bride-chamber mourn c he expounds fasting by mourning and if you have been more afflicted with the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly than of any other thing and have walked heavily under the burthen of it Certainly you have been sensible But whereas you say This Promise doth run conditionally and this Condition you have not attained Give me leave to say to you Do you rightly understand a Condition A Condition properly is that upon the account whereof a thing is done and without which thing it cannot be done As for example I sell my Commodity for Mony now upon the account you pay so much Mony I give you the commodity and without that I do not give it Now I pray will you say that your own sense at the highest is that upon the account whereof God will shew mercy or will you say that God will not shew mercy unless you have sense We find that God doth return unto his people first and afterwards he saith then shall ye be ashamed and then shall ye loath your selves 't is very true that he will shew mercy to those that have sense of the Solemn Assembly But where doth he say that he will shew no mercy to those that have no sense No where For his love and grace is free But if any man be sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly lo this comfort is laid up for you Are you scattered the Lord will gather you have you halted in this day of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly God will heal your halting Have you suffered Reproach In the very place where you have suffered Reproach God will give you a Name and Fame and Glory I must say it lift up your heads O ye Saints you that hang down and are sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly You will say now But what should we do that we may be more sensible then of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly 'T is clear the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach and God hath promised all this comfort to those that are sensible of it I hope I have some sense What shall I do that I may be more sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly that this comfort and this promise may come upon my soul First of all get spiritual life you must be living A dead man is not sensible A living man is sensible of the scratch of a Pin a dead man is not sensible of the gash of a Sword 'T is life that makes one sensible Never think to be sensible and to be dead Therefore go to God for Spiritual life 2. Then strengthen your love unto God and his Waies and Children and Ordinances Dolâ—r amoris filia grief is the Daughter of love I grieve for the loss of what I love and no further than I love If I would grieve and be sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly strengthen your love Love to the Ordinances love to the Solemn Assembly love to God And 3. Then take advantage from all those occasions that you meet withal to inlarge your mourning and your sense When a man would leap far he takes his rise upon a Mole-hill that he may leap the farther Friends you have many rises this day for your mourning and for your sense improve all those rises as you meet with any occasion look upon them as so many Mole-hills look upon them as so many rises for to go the farther in your sense of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly 4. then observe what those evils are those sins are that have had a hand in bringing this Reproach upon the Solemn Assembly and do not meddle therewithal Take heed you do not add any of them to the heap If a man have a burdenupon his shoulder that he cannot stand under and you go to lay any more upon him saith he I pray take heed I have as much on me as my back will bear And if there be company in a Boat that the Boat be full and another offer to come in O no by no means the Boat is ready to sink already Truely thus it is the Boat is ready to sink already it is so full And do you look upon the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly as your burthen O then take notice what it was that brought the Reproach and take heed of that 5. Take heed of the immoderate use of any creature comfort Friends let me say this to you the more your hearts do soak into the comfort of the creatures the less cause you will have of the Reproach of the Solemn Assemblies The more your hearts soak into the comforts of your own house the less sensible you will be of the Reproach of Gods House So that take heed of the immoderate use of any creature comfort that is before you To end all Above all things strengthen your Faith for although Sense be an enemy to Faith Faith is a friend to Sense especially sense of sin and sense of the Churches miseries The more you look upon the fulness and the freeness and the certainty of the Promise of deliverance the more your Faith will be strengthned Now this promise of deliverance here is full is free 't is large it 's repeated again and again In the fourth of Micah you have the same promise and it s there repeated again and again Why then should you not say thus Well through the grace of God though I be sensible of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly yet I will believe for deliverance and though I do believe for deliverance yet I will be sensible through grace of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly Do so only let your Faith be the Mother unto this sense therefore take this Promise read it over work it chafe it upon your hearts much when you are alone I conclude reading it Saith the Lord hare I will gather them that are sorrowful for the Solemn Assembly who are of thee to whom the Reproach of it was a burthen Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out And I will get them Praise and Fame in every Land where they have been put to shame At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a Name and a Praise among all people of the Earth when I turn back your Captivity before your eyes saith thâ— Lord. SERM. VIII The evil of Unbelief in departing from God Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God IN these words three things are the most considerable A great Disease that Christians are subject to to depart from God The cause of that Disease an evil heart of unbelief The
cure of that Disease or the remedy against it and that is watchfulness or taking heed Take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The Disease is great indeed a disease common unto the Children of men to depart from God And the Disease is very dangerous for else why should we take heed thereof I shall speak something to all these and not so much as to single out any Doctrine But thus from the first It is a very dangerous thing to depart from God Q. When may a man be said to depart from God or a people said to depart from God And what is the danger of it A. For answer There is a total departing from God and a partial departing from God every sin that we do commit is a departing from God For what is sin but an Avertency from the Creator and a Convertency to the Creature A total departure there is and that is two-fold either total in regard of the object or total in regard of the subject A man doth totally depart from God Objective when he doth depart from all the truths and wayes of God and turns Heathen But Subjective a man doth totally depart from God when he doth with his whole heart and soul depart from the Lord though he may keep many truths as a man that breaks in his outward estate he may keep some thing and yet be broken So spiritually a man may break and depart from God and yet may keep many truths Now it is this totally departing that is here aimed at and it is a dangerous thing either totally or partially But especially a dangerous thing to depart from the Lord totally Now that 's the Question When may a man be said to depart from God Look when a man doth depart from the Service and the Worship of God then he departs from God In Isa 65. 11. But ye are they that forsake the Lord that forget my holy mountain When men do forget the Holy Mountain the Worship and Service of God and depart from that then they depart from and forsake the Lord And 2. Look when a man doth depart from an holy Conversation wherein he hath walkt before then he is said to depart from God Job 6. 14. But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his Friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty 'T is not said he forsakes the Almighty but he forsakes the fear of the Almighty which is all one When a man doth forsake the fear of the Almighty the good ways of God a holy and a good Conversation wherein he hath walkt before then he is said to depart from God And 3. Look when a man and in time of danger and trouble not so much trust unto the Lord as unto an arm of flesh for safety and deliverance then he is said to depart from God Jer. 17. 5. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord For a man in time of trouble to rest upon an arm of flesh and not upon the Lord himself Why this is to depart from God in Scripture Language Now it is a dangerous thing so to do For thereby a man doth depart from his life in departing from The danger of departing from God God he doth depart from his own life For God is a Living God saith the Text here Take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God Departing from God then a man doth depart from his life Take away God and I am no body saith one A true speech take away the Living God and where 's our life 2. Thereby also a man doth depart from his own Prosperity 2 Chron. 26. 5. 'T is said of Uzziah As long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper Departing then from the Lord is a departing from a mans own prosperity 3. Thereby also in departing from God a man doth depart from his Refuge and shelter in the time of Adversity As he doth depart from his own prosperity so by departing form God A man doth depart from his shelter and Covert and Sanctuary in the time of adversity You know what God hath said I will be a little Sanctuary unto you In the want of a Sanctuary God will be a Sanctuary to his people Fear not their fear nor be affraid sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread and he shall be for a Sanctuary unto you A hiding place a shelter in the time of a storm When a man departs from God then he departs from his Sanctuary from his relief and shelter in the day of his adversity 4. Thereby also a man doth depart from his own Comfort from all his Comforts Take away the Sun and 't is not all the Torches in the Land can make a day or can give day light God is the Father of Mercy and the God of all Consolation depart therefore from the Lord and we depart from all our Consolation we depart from all our Comfort 5. Thereby also in departing from the Lord a man doth depart from his own Being and his own Mercy Forsakes his own Mercies and cleaves unto lying vanities The name of God you know is I am I am that I am Who is All-sufficient I am saith God Who is gracious I am saith God The name of God is I am the name of the Creature is I am not In departing therefore from the Lord a man doth depart from his own being In him we live and move and have our being departing from the Lord we depart from all Surely 't is a very dangerous thing then to depart from God 2. Now in the second place The cause of this disease is Unbelief Unbelief is the Root of Apostasie Infidelity is the ground of Apostasie an unbelieving heart is the cause of this departing this God Here are two things 1. That an unbelieving heart is an evil heart Secondly That unbelief is the cause and root of this Apostasie or departing from God As for the first I shall clear it by several particulars and but name them An unbelieving heart is an evil heart for it is an hard heart and therefore you have it in the following words Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin What is an hard heart we are generally mistaken about an hard heart we think ordinarily that when a mans heart is straitned in duty then his heart is hard No a man may be straitned in duty and yet his heart may be soft But a thâ—ng is said to be hard when it dont yield Soft when it doth yield Touch hard wax and it yields
needs be the root and ground and cause of Apostacy Why now what is the cause of all our sins but our unbelief People do not think so What 's the reason that men are so covetous and worldly but because of their unbelief What 's the reason when people are in trouble that they use indirect means to get out of trouble but because of their unbelief What 's the Reason that a Servant or a Child will tell lies Because of Unbelief Unbelief is the Mother sin the Parent sin the Breeding sin and therefore Unbelief is the cause of departing and going off from God And if so why should we not all then take heed of an evil heart of unbelief That 's the Remedy that is here prescribed for the cure of this disease Take heed Brethren take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief Take heed What should we take heed of Take heed of departing from God and take heed of unbelief and of an evil heart of unbelief whereby we depart from God Take heed of departing from God For as we have heard already it is a very dangerous thing to depart from God Let me add this If we depart from God who will receive us If a Proclamation be out against a man as a Traitor who durst receive him And if a man do depart from the Lord what creature dare receive him In 2 Joh. speaking of some that departed from the Lord Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ if there come any into you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed The Kings Proclamation is out against him take heed how you receive him Here 's a command sent from the Lord to take heed how you receive such an one I say if we depart from God who will receive us And if you depart from God you will hardly ever return unto him again you know the place it is impossible we should be renewed by Repentance Faith is but once delivered to the Saints If the leaves be off in the Winter the tree will grow again but if it be pluck't up by the roots it will grow no more Twice dead saith the Apostle dead by the Law but if a man depart from God under the Gospel he is twice dead now a man that 's twice dead certainly he will never recover twice dead How twice dead Not that a man was twice alive A man is hanged and so is dead after he is hanged he is quartered here 's a second death he is twice dead not that he had a life between these two deaths between his hanging and his quartering but he is twice dead So a man that departs from God under the Gospel he is twice dead He was alive once in the state of Innocency but he lost it and now he is dead by the Gospel and out asunder by the Gospel he is twice dead and will hardly ever return to God again A man that lives under the Gospel and departs from God a thousand to one if ever he return to God again And if we do depart from God God will depart from us God is with us while we are with him but if we forsake the Lord he will forsake us if we depart from God God will depart from us God comes first to us but we go first from him God doth not leave any but those that leave him first He comes to us before we come to him but if we depart from him he will depart from us and if God go the Devil comes the Lord rejected Saul and an evil Spirit came presently upon him therefore who would not take heed of departing from God But Secondly As we are to take heed of departing from God so we are to take heed of Unbelief and of an unbelieving heart whereby we depart from God for the sin of unbelief and an unbelieving heart is very cunning and makes a deceitful heart Therefore saith the Apostle in the words following least ye be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin It hath very many pretences and fair colours When they were invited by the Gospel what excuses had they all from unbelief I have married a Wife and I cannot come and I have bought a piece of ground and I must needs go see it I pray thee have me excused And I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused No no I have unbelief in my heart and I cannot come Unbelief made all these Excuses 't is cunning heart a deceiving sin the sin of unbelief And indeed it is such a sin as hardens insensibly that we cannot perceive You can see the tree the body of the tree and the bark of the tree and the boughs of the tree and the leaves of the tree but you cannot see the root of the tree Unbelief is a root sin and that 's least perceived Now when one hath to deal with a deceitful enemy that is least perceived had be not need take heed Take heed of departing from God through an evil heart of unbelief Quest The question then is What shall we do These are declining and departing times wherein many do and will depart from God make account on 't what shall we do that we may not depart from God through unbelief What shall we do that we may take heed of an unbelieving heart that we may take heed of departing from God I put them together into one question Now I shall give several directions here and so wind up 1. If you would not depart from God through unbelief in declining and departing times be sure that you keep close unto the word of God unto his appointments and take heed how you meddle with any appointments that are like to his For the more you depart from the word the more you depart from God and the more you meddle with appointments that are like to Gods the more you depart from the word Look into Exod. 30. and see what a Commandment there is not to meddle with any thing that 's like to Gods appointments at the 23 ver There 's direction concerning the holy ointment Take thou also unto thee principal spices of pure myrrh five hundred shekels and of sweet Cinamon half so much even two hundred and fifty shekels and of sweet Calamus two hundred and fifty shekels and of Cassia five hundred shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary and of Oil Olive an hin Then at the 25 ver Thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment an ointment compound after the art of the Apothecary it shall be an holy anointing oil Well at the 33 ver Whosoever compoundeth any like it or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger shall even be cut off from his people You shall make none like it At the 34 ver You have directions for the making of an holy perfume The Lord said unto Moses Take unto thee sweet
spices Stacle and Onycha and Galbanum these sweet spices with pure frankincense of each shall there be a like weight And thou shalt make it a Perfume a Confection after the Art of the Apothecary tempered together pure and holy But then at the 38 ver Whosoever shall make like unto that to smell thereto shall even be cut off from his people A dangerous thing it is to meddle with the appointments in the Worship and Service of God that are like to Gods appointments for any man like an Apothecary and a Confectioner in the Worship and Service of God To make appointments in Gods Worship like unto the appointments of God it 's a dangerous thing he shall be cut off from his people Therefore if you would not depart from God through unbelief keep close to the word and the appointments thereof and take heed of meddleing with any appointments that are like thereto 2. If you would not depart from God through unbelief take heed that you do not suffer any thing to come between your heart and Gods Commandment or Promise We all fell in Adam through unbelief How came that about Why the Devil got between Adams heart and the Commandment Adam did not keep the Commandment close there was something a Devils promise that got between his heart and Gods Commandment and so departed from God Take heed therefore and be sure that nothing come between your heart and Gods Commandment 3. If you would not depart from God the Living God through unbelief Take heed of venturing upon any sin because it 's small yielding to any Errour because 't is little leaving any truth because it is but little or small There are some passage truths as I may call them in time of War when one Army is against another you shall see how earnestly they will contend for a little passage a little spot of ground ask them the reason O that 's a passage So there are some truths that are but small in themselves and they are passage truths and if you would not depart from God and the great truths look to passage truths look to keep your passages 4. If you would not depart from God the Living God through unbelief Be sure that you lay all your work in sincerity for the ground that had not Root in it self falls away Take this for a certain Rule He that begins in Hypocrisie will end in Apostacy Here are some it may be though but few of us that are beginning and laying the foundation Look to your foundation that it be laid well in sincerity for if your foundation be laid in hypocrisie you will end in Apostacy 5. If you would not depart from the Lord through an unbelieving heart take heed of strangeness with God want of Communion in private Enmity begins in strangeness among men First people grow strange and then they come to hate one another and to be enemies to one another Enmity begins with strangeness and truly so it is with God First strangeness and then Enemies If you would not depart from God the Living God O take heed of strangeness with God maintain your private Communion 6. Take heed of taking offence and of being offended at any of the good wayes of God or any of the people of God 'T was Dr. Prestons usual saying I never knew any one decline or fall away But first he took offence at some good man and then he took offence at more good men and then he took offence at the wayes of God themselves And you know it 's said of the Disciples they were offended and went back And of the false ground By and by he is offended he doth not say By and by they fall away Why Because usually falling away and departing begins at being offended Therefore would you not depart from the Living God then take heed you take no offence at the good wayes of God or the people of God 7. Take heed of walking alone For you see what follows in the Text saith he Take heed Brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God But exhort one another daily So that the onely way to be kept from departing from the Living God is to be exhorting one another Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another In evil days exhort one another daily in declining times take heed of walking alone 8. Take heed of Remisseness in duty Remisseness in duty will cause omission of duty omission of duty will cause Commission of evil and Commission of evil will cause a departing from God I use to say the slumber of grace is a preparation to sin and those that slumber in times of injoyments they will fall in suffering times it's likely you know how it was with the Disciples that slumbred and slept at the Mount of Transfiguration afterwards they slept also in suffering time Well therefore if you would not depart from God the Living God through unbelief Take heed of the slumbers of grace take heed of remisness in any duty least remisness cause omission omission commission and commission departing from God 9. Take heed that you do not stand poring upon your Temptations whatsoever your Temptations be When the Children of Israel were stung by the Serpents in the Wilderness they did not stand poring upon the Arm that was stung and crying out O my Arm O how it is swell'd but they lookt up upon the Brazen Serpent If they had lookt upon their Arm and stood poring upon that they had never been Cur'd So now if in case we be tempted the way is not to stand poring upon the temptation but to look off unto Christ If therefore you would not depart from God in the time of Temptation take heed of poring upon the Temptation look off from that upon the brazen Serpent And 10. Set the Lord alwaies before your eyes his All-sufficiency his Fulness his Grace his Goodness I have set the Lord alwaies before me at my right-hand saith David and therefore I shall not fall So do you 11. Possess your hearts much with the fear of God Fear is the preserver of innocency I 'le put my fear into your hearts saith God That you shall not depart from me If then you would not depart from God labour to possesse your souls with the fear of God 12. Take heed how you consult with Flesh and Blood in the things of God If Paul had consulted with Flesh and Blood he had never believed And if in the things of God we consult with Flesh and Blood we are sure to depart from God the living God 13. Put your selves often unto this disjunction Come O my soul either there is enough in God alone or there is not If there be not enough in God alone how do they live in Heaven They have no meat no drink no clothes no gold nor silver As the Martyr said I am going to that Country where your gold and silver
will not go when they offered him gold and silver Alass our gold and silver doth not go there As leather monâ—y will not go here where gold and silver goes So our gold and silver will not go there if there be not enough in God alone how do you think they live in Heaven Surely they live upon God Therefore there is enough in God Well if there be enough in God alone O my Soul Why should I depart from God All departure doth signifie an insufficiency I leave this house and go to another because this house is not sufficient When I am sick I send to my neighbour for Beer why because my Beer don't like me The Bee leaves one flower and goes to another because it doth not find enough in that flower all departing notes an insufficiency If I depart from God it notes an insufficiency in God Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye are gone down to Baal-zephon Well either there is enough in God alone O my soul or there is not If there be not enough in God alone then how do they live in Heaven If there be enough in God alone then why should I depart from God through unbelief Thus put your selves upon this Dilemma and it will be a means to keep you from departing from God through your unbelief 14. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief Then take heed of worldliness Take heed of covetousness and of worldliness We cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon you must cleave to the one and forsake the other Demas hath forsaken me and imbrac'd this present world A worldly covetous heart will depart from God and therefore take heed of covetousness worldliness Seek not great things for your selves Seek ye great things in these times Seek them not 'T is a great matter to have ones life for a prey in evil times 15. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief then take heed of mis-belief all unbelief is grounded upon a misbelief We don't believe because we mis-believe we see it in Adam he was guilty of unbelief how Why he believed the Devil You shall be like God saith he and by his mis-believing he came into unbelief His unbelief was grounded upon a misbelief God draws by Promises and the Devil tempts by Promises Why when the Devil tempts by Promises if we believe his Promises we shall soon be guilty of unbelief in regard of Gods Promises and therefore if we would not depart from God the living God through unbelief take heed of misbelieving 16. If you would not depart from God through unbelief then look to your Judgement in reference to your Conversation and look to your Conversation in reference to your Judgment Look to your Life in reference to your Opinion look to your Opinion in reference to your Life Faith and a good Opinion doth preserve a good Life and a good Life doth preserve Faith and a good Opinion Faith lys in the bosom of a good Conversation Faith is best preserved by a good Conversation and a good Conversation is best preserved by Faith Sometime men do depart from God and their departure begins above in the Judgment and like Rheum it falls down upon the Lungs it falls down upon the Conversation Somtimes the departing begins below in the Conversation and steams up into the Judgement as some things that are unsavoury in the stomach they steam up into the head Sometimes the departâ—re from God begins above and works downward into the Conversation Sometimes it begins below in the Conversation and works upwards into the Judgement Therefore look to your Judgements in reference to your Conversation and look to your Conversation in reference to your Judgment Look to your Faith in reference to your Life and look to your Life in reference to your Faith 17. If you would not depart from God the living God through unbelief Then take heed how you run with the times Good friends there is the truth of the times and there is the error of the times There is the grace of the times and there is the sin of the times seldom that the generality of people hit it they seldom hit the truth of the times seldom hit the grace of the times I say the generality of people seldom hit it they are like the dead Fish that swims down the water the living Fish swims against the Tide and so the living Christian swims against the tide of the Times Take heed if you would not depart from the living God through unbelief take heed how you fall with the times for I say seldom do the generality of people hit the truth or the grace of the times 18. Know that it is the greatest honour possess your souls on 't that may be to wait upon the Lord and the greatest dishonour to depart from God through unbelief Thereby a man proclaims his own folly thereby he doth put himself out of Gods protection thereby he casts dirt and reproach in the very face of God Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go down to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron God will cast dirt and reproach in their faces that cast dirt and reproach in his face 'T is the greatest honour to wait upon the Lord 'T is the greatest dishonour to depart from God 19. Be very sensible of your own unbelieving heart and of all your former departings from God The best way to keep from new sins is to be very sensible of old sins he that is very sensible of his former sins shall through the grace of God be kept from new sins Have you departed from the Lord be sensible of your departings from God be sensible of your own unbelieving heart There is many that go up and down and are never sensible of their own unbelieving hearts twenty thirty forty years they have lived and yet not sensible of their unbelieving heart though it 's the greatest Evil Well if you be sensible of your unbelief and former departings from God then you shall be kept from departing from the Lord through unbelief 20. Lastly If you would not depart from God the Living God through an evil heart of unbelief Be not too confident of your own strength in standing but commit your self and your cause and your way and your heart unto the Lord The best Swimmers are the soonest drown'd Why because they are the most confident and the most confident people do the soonest fall and depart from the Lord. But our strength is to commit our selves unto God Commit thy way unto the Lord saith he and the Apostle in evil times suffering times calls upon us to do this to commit our selves into the hand of God as into the hands of a faithful Creator Are the times declining and do many depart from the Lord take heed be not to confident he that standeth standeth by Faith be not to confident of your own standing but
commit your way your souls and your all unto God He is best kept that the eternal God keeps and if you commit your selves unto him and his keeping he will certainly keep you And thus have I given you these twenty directions that so you may not through an evil heart of unbelief be drawn to depart from the Living God SERM. IX Seasonable Truths for these Evil Times Luke 17. 32. Remember Lots Wife IN this Chapter our Lord and Saviour Christ tells us how it shall be in the latter day immediately before his second or his last coming which he declares by two Similitudes or Comparisons The first comparison is drawn from the days of Noah wherein he observes their security and their punishment Security As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be also in the days of the son of man They did eat they drank they marryed Wives they were given in Marriage ver 26. 27. The Punishment And the sloud came and destroyed them all The second Comparison is drawn from the days and times of Lot where you have their Security and their Punishment ver 18. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot They did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded The punishment ver 29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it Rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all The Rendition at the 30 ver Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed Whereupon he dehorts them from the world and the care thereof ver 31. In that day he which shall be upon the house top and his stuff in the house let him not come down to take it away and he that is in the field let him likewise not return back Which he presseth by divers Arguments The first is drawn from the example of Lot's Wife who for her looking back was turned into a Pillar of Salt The second Argument is drawn from the contrary good Whosoever saith he shall lose his life shall preserve it v. 33. The third is drawn from the separation that Christ hath made between the nearest Interest and Relations at that day ver 34. In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken and the other left two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other left two men shall be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left I am now to deal with this first Argument drawn from the example of Lot's Wife who for her looking back to a worldly interest was turned into a Pillar of Salt Remember Lot's Wife and remember her at such a time and remember her upon such an account Christ would have us remember Lot's Wife There is a special time when Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us We are not only to read the Story of Lot's Wife we may forget that but we are frequently to consider and call it unto mind A time there is and a special time when Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us For the clearing and prosecuting hereof First We will inquire what of Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us Secondly Why Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us Thirdly How Lot's Wife is to be remembred us Fourthly What is the special time wherein Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us And Fifthly How we should so remember Lot's Wife as we may gain thereby Sixthly And what we should do that we may so profitably remember Lot's Wife 1. As for the first If it be said what of Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us I answer her Sin and her Punishment She was turned into a Pillar of Salt she was stricken with a sore Judgment A mortal deadly stroke she was not stricken as Miriam with a Leprosie but with a mortal deadly stroke she was stricken with Death 2. As she was stricken with a mortal deadly stroke so with a suddain stroke She had no time given her to repent It is a great mercy to die standing to die exercising of grace but to be stricken with death in the very height of ones sin in the very act of ones sin and to have no time given one to repent This is a great judgment and this befell her 3. As it was a suddain stroke so it was an immediate stroke From the hand of God immediately Immediate mercies are the sweetest mercies and immediate judgments are the sowerest judgments Thus she was stricken by the hand of God immediately 4. As she was stricken with an immediate stroke an immediate hand of God So this stroke it was an exemplary stroke for by it she was hanged up in chains as it were and Gibbited for all ages to take heed of To take heed of looking back declining and backsliding And she was stricken into a Pillar of Salt And if you ask why into a Pillar of Salt Why Salt saith one that by her example she might season others that by her example all of us might be warned to take heed of looking back to any worldly interest But I think also by her looking back she in some measure complyed and comported with the men of Sodom as they were smitten with brimstone fire and Salt Deut. 29. 23. And the whole Land thereof became Brimstone and Salt So she complying with them and returning in her heart and affections to them partaking with them in their sin doth partake with them also in their judgment and so was turned into Salt And into a Pillar of Salt that 's durable and of continuance As the everlasting Covenant is called a Pillar of Salt so her body for I speak not of her soul neither doth the Scripture speak any thing concerning that being turned into a material Pillar of Salt for the longer continuance that she might be an everlasting Monument and warning to all Generations to take heed of looking back declining and backsliding And thus she was turned into a Pillar of Salt That 's her Punishment As for her sin that did bring her into this condition it was exceeding great and hainous for there was much disobedience in it being directly contrary unto the express Commandement of God by the Angel In Gen. 19. The Angels said when they had brought them forth abroad Escape for thy life look not behind thee neither stay thou in all the Plain escape to the Mountain lest thou be consumed Here was an express Commandment that they should not look back It seemed to be no great matter for Adam to eat an Apple a forbidden Apple but being directly contrary to Gods express Commandement there was much disobedience in it And so though it seem'd no great matter to look back yet being directly contrary to Gods express Commandement There was much disobedience in it Again There might be much incredulity and unbelief in this thing for she might doubt whether God would fulfil his word in destroying Sodom as God had said and
his Truth his Worship his People Things God delights in his Name When the Solemn Assembly is under Reproach his Truth is derided his Worship defiled his Children persecuted and his Name dishonoured Who can behold all these things and not bleed and not be affected there withall That 's a third 4. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then all the People of God the whole Generation of the Righteous are afflicted distressed and as a Lamp despised before him that is at ease Who would not grieve to see the necks of all the people of God lye upon the block together ready to be cut off Pray do but mind that place in Esther 'T is said there that when the Decree came out upon the Jews that their necks lay all upon the block in the third of Esther The Decree was given in Shushan the Palace and the King and Haman sate down to drink but the City Shushan was perplexed The City Shushan Why the City Shushan 'T is not said the Jews What was the City Shushan Jews No there were a hundred to one in the City that were no Jews I but the Neighbours of the people of God were perplexed O then is the City Sushan perplext in such a day and shall not the Jews themselves be perplext shall they not be affected much with it Then all the Saints their necks lie upon the block Look but into the Psalms and you shall see that when the Temple of God is defiled The reproach of the house of God and the persecution of the Saints go together Psal 79. 1 2. O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy Holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Jerusalem on heaps the dead bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven the flâ—sh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them we are become a reproach to our Neighbours I these two go together the defilement of the house of God the reproach of the Solemn Assembly and the persecution of the Saints likewise Now who can see these things and not be affected 5. The School-men say That power which cannot be resisted is a cause of grief If evil be coming and I be able to resist it I am not much affected but if evil comes like an armed man and I cannot resist it this causeth grief Now when the Solemn Assemblie lies under Reproach evil comes upon the People of God like an armed man They cannot resist it hear's grief then 6. The School-men say All grief doth arise from the want of the thing loved and the loss of good Now when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach there good things are lost the Saints good things There 's the presence of God in the Solemn Assembly There 's the Chariot whereby Christ rides into the souls of sinners There 's the food of Faith There 's all good things gone and therefore no wonder they are so affected But 7. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie un-under Reproach then the world is scandalized and the world 's offended Wo to the world because of â—ffences 't is an evil thing that the world should be offended When is the world offended when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach aha so would we have it Then they laugh saith Paul who is offended and I burn not We say when the sick man laughs the Physician crys he is distracted saith he Why now the Saints and People of God they are the worlds Physicians to cure them and heal them by their lives and prayers and instructions What do they laugh what do they say Aha so would we have it But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach then is the world offended Then therefore is the time for the Saints and people of God to be much affected 8. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then the Devil gets up again The Devil falls by the powerful preaching of the Gospel saith our Saviour Christ Rejoyce not that the Devils fall down like lightning before you What fall what doth our Saviour Christ speak of the Devils first fall no surely but of his fall by the preaching of the Gospel When the Gospel is powerfully preached then the Devil falls But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach he gets up again And what good man would not grieve when he sees how the Devil gets up again especially if he have seen the falling of the Devil before 9. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then you have a certain presage of a Famine of the hearing of the word If one could assure you that for certain there would be a Famine of Bread you would be much affected Why the reproach of the Solemn Assembly is a certain presage of a Famine of the word and the hearing of the word a certain presage of it 10. The more that any good man hath any hand in any great evil that is come the more he is affected there withall 'T is fabled of the Eagle that when the Eagle was shot looking upon her wound she was troubled But when she lookt upon the Arrow and saw the feathers of the Arrow nay then saith she I am kill'd and am destroyed by some of my own kind in regard of the feathers and this wounded her again and troubled her more that she was destroyed by some of her own kind And truly when a good man looks upon the reproach of the Solemn Assembly may he not see his own feathers Yes This reproach of the Solemn Assembly have I had a hand in No wonder therefore that it doth grieve him and that he is much affected 11. When the Solemn Assembly doth lie under reproach God is departed Take away God and I am no body saith one A good heart will alwayes say so Take away God and I am no body Now when the reproach lies upon the Solemn Assembly then God is gone God is so much departed and so much gone as the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach so much we do bear the badges of Gods departure Do you then ask me what there is in this reproach of the Solemn Assembly that the Saints should be so much affected there withall There are these two things and judge you whether there be not cause that all the Saints and people of God should be much affected and carry it as a burthen upon their souls when the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach And thus I have done with the second thing that those that are of them Those that are the true Members of the Solemn Assembly they will be very sensible of it And you see the reasons of it But Thirdly Suppose the Solemn Assembly do lie under reproach and we have been and are very sensible thereof and carry it as a burthen What then Then will the Lord turn your former sorrow into
not touch soft wax and it yields and takes the impression A soft heart yields unto Gods impressions a hard heart yields not but resists and contradicts So doth an unbelieving heart An unbelieving heart is a contradicting resisting an unyielding heart and therefore properly an unbelieving heart is a hard heart 2. As an unbelieving heart is an hard heart so so an unblieving heart is an unclean heart For faith purifies the heart and therefore where the heart is unbelieving the heart is unpurified and so is unclean An unbelieving heart is an unclean heart 3. As an unbelieving heart is an unclean heart so it is a proud heart You know what the Prophet Hab. saith in his second Chapter Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by Faith So then an unbelieving heart also is a proud heart 4. As an unbelieving heart is a proud heart so it is a froward peevish fretful heart Faith and fretting are opposed in Psal 37. Fret not thy self because of evil doers trust in the Lord and do good Commit thy way unto him and trust in him verse 5. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way ver 7. Faith and fretting are opposed How did the people of Israel murmur in the Wilderness and why but because of their unbelief Froward and fretful and murmuring An unbelieving heart is a fretting froward heart 5. As it is a fretting and froward heart so an unbelieving heart is a rash foolish heart and will put one upon doing foolish things It 's rash faith makes not haste but unbelief makes haste I said in my haste I am câ—st out of thy sight That 's unbelief I said in my haste all men are Lyars that 's unbelief What a foolish thing it was for David to scrabble on the door and let fall his spittle and fain himself mad It was his unbelief that did it An unbelieving heart is a rash suddain and a foolish heart 6. As it is a rash and a foolish heart so it is a doubting wavering staggering heart It 's said of Abraham that he staggered not through unbelief It seems then that as Drunkenness will make a man stagger and reel too and fro so unbelief will make a man stagger and reel too and fro A doubting wavering unsettel'd staggering heart is an unbelieving heart 7. As it is a doubting staggering heart so it is an undutiful and an unserviceable heart For it is Faith that is the great performer of Duties What is duty but faith Incarnate what are works but faith Incarnate Faith is a friend to prayer and prayer is a friend to faith You may see how they are twisted together and one walks by another In the third Psalm David being in very great distress he believes ver 3. But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory and the lifter up of mine head Why then he prays ver 4. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice Then he believes ver 5. I laid me down and slept ver 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about Then he prayes at the 7 ver Arise O Lord save me O my God He prayes and he believes and he believes he prays Prayer is a friend to saith and faith is a friend to prayer But an unbelieving heart is an undutiful heart an unserviceable heart it is an unpraying heart 8. As an unbelieving heart is an undutiful heart and an uâ—serviceable heart So it is a sad and a discouraged heart Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Hope wait trust in the Lord And that 's the way to take off discouragements But a heart full of unbelief is a heart full of discouragement 9. As it is a sad and disconsolate heart so an unbelieving heart is a dishonouring heart By Faith we honour the power of God the grace of God the All-sufficiency of God He that believeth not makes God a Lyar saith the Apostle That God is not faithful Faith honours the faithfulness of God but he that believeth not makes God a Lyar 'T is a God dishonouring sin 10. And to say no more in it but this As it is a God dishonouring sin so an unbelieving heart is the heart that God will punish with the most severity We may see how the Lord punisht it in his own people when they were in the Wilderness and they sinned through unbelief God kept them out of the Land of Promise and why Heb. 3. 19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief This was in their first time but now in their last time they were broken off And how came they to be broken off in Christ's time Rom. 11. 20. Well because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith Because of unbelief they were kept out of Canaan because of unbelief they were broken off in Christ's time So that an unbelieving heart and an unbelieving soul is such an heart and such a soul as God will punish with the most severity He that believeth not is condemned already An unbelieving heart is an evil heart But now in the second place This unbelieving heart or infidelity is the ground of Apostasie for thereby we depart from God Infidelity is the root of Apostasie for as by faith we are united to God do draw near to God and are united to him So by our unbelief we depart from God Faith you know is the uniting grace and so on the contrary by unbelief we depart from God But this will appear if you consider what those things are that make men depart from God They are the good things and the evil things of this life The good things of this life do flatter men from God The evil things of this life scare men from God Now Faith will preserve from both If a man be tempted with the good things of this life Yet if he have Faith he will not depart from God for by Faith we live upon God in the use of the good things And if a man be tempted to depart from God by the evil things of this life yet if he have but Faith he will not depart from God for by Faith we live upon God and live above losses and above crosses so that Faith doth preserve us from both and therefore unbelief is the root and ground of all our Apostasie or declining from God And we know how it was with the three Children what it was that kept them in that evil day there was the Musick on the one hand and the fiery Furnace on the other but between both they were kept and preserved for they believed It was their Faith kept them from departing But further If that Unbelief be a Mother Sin a Parent Sin a breeding Sin the root and cause of other sins Why then Unbelief must