partie sinning is the partie suffering the very same indiuiduall subiect sinning is the very same that smarts for sinne he that is an actor willingly in all the obscene sceanes of the pleasing Comoedie of sinne must act will he nill he in the blacke and dismall Tragedy of suffering He that saies what he will the very heathen could tell vs must heare againe what he would not o Qui dicit quod vult audit quod non vult and hee that doth what hee will must suffer what he would not The soule that sinnes shall die the death saith Ezekiel p Ezek. 18. v. 4. whether the soule of the father or the soule of the childe the soule of the Prince or the soule of the subiect c. Application I wish we could lay this to heart and consider when we are tempted to sinne that if we will needs be Sathans factors and agents in sinning wee must whether we will or no bee the Lords Patients in suffering if wee will not doe according to the Lords owne heart hee will make vs to feele his hand if like truantly boyes we will not bee lored and tutored by his doctrine we must bee instructed by his discipline if as stragling sheepe wee will not bee fetcht in by his whistle we must be compelled by his dog or sheepe-crooke the rod of bands must effect that as here with Ezekiah which the rod of beauty could not looke as we sow Zach 11.7 so we shall reape q Gal. 6.7 our crop shall answer our seed time as we bake so we shall eate and as we brew so we shall drinke The very heathen could see and sing in their numbers that pleasure and paine are lincked together in one chaine and so I say it is with sinne and sorrow if sinne he at the one end sorrow is at the other the last linkes depend on the first draw the first the last will follow as Iacob followed after Esau r Gen. 25.26 Hos 12.3 and supplanted him SECT 2. God spares not the great ones when they sinne SEcondly see Ezekiah a great man nay the greatest man vpon earth a terrestriall God Gods Vicegerent Gods Leiutenant ouer his people Israel is not spared if he sinne God spares him not No Gods Iustice can encounter with Scepters Crownes * Sceptra ligonibus aequat as well as with spades mattocks and sheep crooks Gods iustice like death Gods purseuant or summoner is as impartiall as imperiall it is not to be bribed not to be corrupted preuented it may bee by repentance as in the case of the Å¿ Ionas 3.10 Niniuites peruerted it cannot be Pauperum Tubernas regumque turres aequo pulsat pede With equall foot with equall rate It knockes the poore rich regall Gate In mans Lawes strictest Statutes either froÌ„ ignorance in enacting or negligence in executing the little flyes the meaner sort transgressing are caught but the greater personages the stronger flyes more potent in friends fauour meanes break from the intangling webs * Similitude Anacharsis apud Stobaeum but this imputation can neuer be fastned iustly vpon Gods lawes or the execution of them in remuneratiue iustice they fasten vpon one as well as vpon another vpon Kings as vpon Merchants vpon Princes as vpon Pesants vpon great Caesar as vpon poore Conon Pharaohs first borne is no more spared in the destroying Pestilence t Exod. 12.29 then the child of the meanest subiect the plague rageth in the Kings Court as in the Country Iabin and Sisera are swept away by the riuer Kishon yea that ancient riuer the riuer Kishon u Iudg. 5.21 as Deborah sings as were his common souldiers God spares Senacherib no more then his ordinary subjects nay as hee sinned more his iudgement was greater hee was vnnaturally murthered by his owne sons euen in the middest of his superstitious Orizons * 2 King 19.37 the Lord hath a muzzle for the mouth of blacke Cerberus reuiling Rabsakah as he hath a hooke for the nose of his master x ver 7. v. 28. God spared not Seâ—on King of the Amorites nor Og King of Basan nor the fiue Kings which Ioshua killed in the Caue y Iosh 10.22 nor Agag whom Samuel hewed in pieces z 1 Sam. 15.33 nor the rest of the Kings of Canaan more then he did the country Canaanites themselues whom in his wrath he caused the land to spue out as the sea casts out her froth a 2 Chro. 33.2 In that vniuersall conflagration of Sodom a type of the burning of the world worldlings in the last Iudgement * Luk. 17 28 29. the flesh and bones of the aged burning first with lust escaped the sulphur and brimstone no more then the riotous youth b Gen. 19.24 in the deluge of the old world Noah might haue beene a dolefull spectator of the reuerent aged the lordly great ones the proud potentates the stately dames floating in the waters c Gen. 7.23 as so many drowned rats or cats as well as the numerous multitudes of the Plebeians In Israels effeminate follie with the daughters of Moah ioyning as sinne seldome goes alone to hell Idolatry to adultery by the pestilent plot of Balaam d Numb 31.16 Zimri and Cosbe an Israelitish Prince and a Moabitish Princesse led the dance to destruction e Num. 25.7 8. yea a thousand of the Peeres and Princes were hanged vp before the Lord f ver 4. and they had Gods martiall Law as seuere if not more seuere then the common people yea afterwards Balaam for all the hope of preferment he had swallowed and gulped downe by complotting with Balack against Israel that the Lord may show to all posterity that he detests the plotters of any mischiefe more then the actors the spinners of spiders webbs more then the weauers his plot brings him to the pot g Numb 31.8 with that brand of infamie vpon his couetousnesse h 2 Pet. 2.15 as was vpon Cain for his murther i Iude ver 11. and so it were easie to run thorow the whole body of Scripture of Diuinity of History for the illustration of this very particular that there is no respect of persons with God k Acts 10.34 no partiality no such conniuence of his Iustice as may be in some Ciuil and Ecclesiasticall Courts he spares neither Ezekiah for his regality nor Herod for his pompe nor Senacherib for his power nor Nebuchadnezzar for his pride nor Nabal for his wealth nor Goliah for his strength nor Absolom for his beauty nor Achitophel for his policy nor Salomon for his wisedome c. nay potentes potenter c. the mighty shall bee mightily tormented vnlesse their great and crying sinnes be repented The Lord hath gynnes for Nimrodian hunters that bloodily hunt others whips and rods in steepe for those that whip and scourge his people the enemies to his Son to his Sion will he
their woe CHAP. IX SECT 1. Gods wrath against sinne and sinners explained and expressed THirdly for the phrase here vsed as subiected to our examination whereas it is said wrath came vpon Iudah and Ierusalem we must so conceiue it that as the Schooles speake there are no passions incident to God r Passiones non incidunt in Deū Aquinas neither loue ioy feare zeale or any other affections much lesse these passions that are held culpable and sinfull euen by Philosophy it selfe as anger hatred wrath c. farre be it from vs to thinke as these hereticall Anthropomorphites that these are naturall in God as they are humane in man or that we should attribute them vnto God who is an immortall immateriall Spirit without any mixture or composition that in any proper locution we should ascribe to him any humane members corporeal parts outward or inward senses or sinfull affections whether irascible or concupiscible ſ Largius hae◠omnia exprimuntur per Zanchium de tribus Elohim de attributis Dei per Polanum in Syntag. part 1 but onely by these improper locutions and figuratiue phrases he speakes ad caeptum sensumque nostrum to our sense and vnderstanding and for the expressing of himselfe vnto vs condiscends to our Infirmities and capacities that as a man when he is wroth or angry shewes the effects and symptomes of his passion by his lookes words gestures actions so the Lord when he is said to be wroth or angry manifests himselfe after the manner and fashion of a man in threatning and executing iudgements proportionable to the demerits of a sinner But leauing the Logicall terme the Theologicall conclusion naturally ariseth that sin makes the Lord wroth and angry The text here plainly speakes the point Ezekiahs ingratitude proceeding as an ill Crow from a worse egge from the pride of his heart brought wrath vpon Iudah and Ierusalem so it is said of Dauids adultery and murder and of his numbring of the people by his organ that he vsed Ioab in two seuerall places t 2 Sam. 11.27 1 Chro. 21.7 That the thing which Dauid did angred or displeased the Lord so it is said oft in the Booke of Exodus and in Deuteronomie a Commentary vpon Exodus and in the Psalmes the Epitome and Abridgement of all that the people of Israel by their mutterings murmurings and rebellions angred the Lord u Num. 14.22 Num. 20.13 Exod. 17.7 vers 2. Psal 95.8 9 10. Psal 106 14 16 17 18 19 c. so that a fire was kindled in his wrath and he burnt vp the congregations of Corah Dathan and Abiram yea it is said that he was displeased with Moses for their sake Infinite are the places and passages in holy Writ where the Lord hath reuealed and executed his anger against sinne and sinners yea verily the casting of the Angels out of heauen * Iob 4.18 Iude v. 6. the eiection though not finall reiection of Adam and Eue x Gen. 3 23. out of Eden the deuastation y Gen. 7.23 and drowning of the old world the conflagration and burning of Sodom z Gen. 19.24 the successiue plagues vpon Pharaoh a Exod. ch 7 8 9 10 per totum his Aegyptians the casting out of the vncleane Canaanites b Iudg. 1. per totum the smiting of the Philistims w th emerods c 1 Sam. 5 6. the burning of Achan d Iosh 7.25 with his stuffe family the stinging of the Israelites with fiery Serpents e Num 21.6 smiting them at the graues of Lust f Num. 11.33 34. cutting them off in the wildernesse g Num. 26.65 depriuing them of the promised Canaan h Heb. 3.11 rebuking of Kings for his peoples sake i Psal 105.14 killing the lustfull sonnes of Ely k 1 Sam. 2.22 4.17 with the sword of the Philistins destroying the two sonnes of Aaron with fire from heauen l Leuit. 10.2 burning vp the two Captaines with their fifties m 2 King 1.9.12 that came to take Elias smiting the Assyrians with blindnesse n 2 King 6.18 that came against Elishah the Sodomites with blindnesse o Gen. 19.11 that came against Lot and his harboured Angels Elimas the Sorcerer with blindnesse contradicting Paul p Acts 13.11 striking Herod with death in all his pompe q Acts 12.23 Nebuchadnezzar with madnesse in his vaunted pride r Dan. 4.29 30. Baltazar with terrors ſ Dan. 5.6 and trembling in his abominable prophanenesse yea to wade into Histories the smiting of Antiochus Epiphanes t 1 Mach. 2. 6.1 De quibus Euseb lib. 8. Niceph lib. 7. cap. 6. c. 22. Vincentius lib. 10. cap. 56. Maxentius and other truculent Tyrants with intollerable gripings and convulsions in their bowells u with all other grieuous strange and remarkable iudgements vpon Anastasius * Fulmine ictus Melancton lib. 3. Cren Arrius x Theod. lib. 1. cap. 11. Magd. Cent. 3. cap. 11. Manes y Michael Seruetus z Apud Aretium in fine locorum communium and other Heretiques a Reade Gods iudgements on Montanus apud Niceph. lib. 4. c. 22 on Olimpius apud Sabellicum lib. 5. c. 4. on Nestorius apud Niceph. lib. 14. c. 30 with others in fine Zegedini in Tabulis on Nero b Suetonius in vita Decius c Eusebius lib. 7. c. 1. Caligula c. Constantius d Socrates lib. 2 c. 47. Valens e Ruffinus lib 2. c. 13. and other Heathenish Popish and f Of all which reade Euseb lib 5 c. 15. lib. 7. c. 21 22. lib. 8. c. 7. Niceph. lib. 3. c. 23. Theod. lib. 3. c. 7. lib. 4. c. 4. c. apud Modernos lege Zonaram Tom. 3. Phil. Cron. lib. 3. 4. 5. Diaconum lib. 3. c. 12. c. 18. Fulgosum lib. 9. c. 5. Greg. Tur. lib. 2. c. 3. Antoninum lib. 15. c. 15. Bonfinium Helmoldum c. 24 Foxe in Martyrol Arrian persecutors with these examples that haue at this day filled Bookes and extant Volumes both in Latine and English with Tragicall Histories of obserued collected and recorded iudgements vpon Atheists prophane persons persecutors tyrants idolaters murtherers adulterers blasphemers g Of all which read the Theater of Gods iudgement chiefly Lonicer his Theatrum Historicum c. and the rest these and all these with many moe which might be enumerated are meerly the fruits and effects of the constant wrath and anger of God vpon sinne and sinners in all times places ages and generations The most profitable vse wee can make of this point to our selues is cautelously and wisely to beware of sinne that makes God wroth lest we drinke too deepe of the cup of his vengeance Oh that we were wise by the light and infusion of grace as the very bruits beasts and birds by the guidance and instinct of nature to auoid what is
of Caesar which neuerthelesse iustly and deseruedly fell vpon him in his exile and banishment p Historia extat apud Eusebium l. 2. c. 7. Eutro l. 7 Nauclerum parte 2. gener 2. Niceph. l. 2. c. 10. afterwards he vniustly condemns Christ and lets loose q Marke 15.15 murthering Barabas for feare not to be counted Caesars friend hee proues at last after many faire shewes to the contrary Christs reall enemy So Foelix for no other cause when hee left his Deputiship left innocent Paul bound but to curry fauor with the Iewes r Acts 24.27 though such partialitie and iniustice did set God himselfe against him and against all such corrupt Iudges as he was SECT 3. Gods wrath kindled by repentance should be quenched BVt herein I more maruell at the folly and stupiditie of all naturall and vnregenerate men that by the ministry of the word knowing in what estate they stand by nature as branches from the root of old Adam being no better in their best pedigrees then children of wrath vessels of wrath Å¿ Ephes 2.3 Chap. 4.18 heires of hell by their very naturall birth as left them hereditary froÌ„ their parents progenitors bringing their Charter and title to their inheritance euen from the very wombes of their sinning mothers yet seeke not to come out of this estate to be drawne out of this pit to get a better assurance for heauen then from Adam and euery way to better their accursed condition by regeneration as the onely prescribed remedy for their misery t Iohn 3.6 Yea more I maruell not onely at the children of darknesse as yet in the power of the deuill u Acts 26.18 2 Tim. 2.26 but also at the children of light whose eies are opened and their feet in some measure set at libertie who after their failings in some duties as here Ezekiah in one of commission of some sinne of which perhaps their iudgements are truly informed yet are so lethargical and drowsie and heauie-headed yea and heauie-hearted too that procrastinating and deferring their repentance as the Iewes did the building of their Temple * Haggai 1.3 going big with their sinnes some months as Dauid did in two sinnes x 2 Sam. 11. Chap. 24. as a woman goes bigge with child till this blessed Grace wife repentance doe deliuer them they make small hast to meet the Lord to haue recourse to the throne of Grace to make vp the breach by godly sorrow but goe on still perhaps in the performance of some good duties as it seemes Dauid did ere Nathan and Gad came to him though heauily and lumpishly as a man walkes with a lame leg or a bird flies with a hanging drouping wing Oh what a spurre were this to accelerate and hasten repentance with posting yea with winged speed to mend our snailes pace and to turne it into an Eagles flight euen the consideration of this that sinne causeth wrath yea that it makes the Lord angry euen with his owne children as with Ezekiah here and these of Iudah c. Now who rightly knowing and laying to heart the force and fury of the fire of Gods wrath would not seeke to quench it presently Oh who is so vnwise that when his house or study of bookes or counting house is on fire in which are all his writings and Euidences will not instantly cast on water call for helpe bestirre himselfe with speed not delaying a minute or moment of time who withall being in danger of his life by fire water pyrats theeues enemies c. doth not instantly importunately cry out for helpe as the disciples in the tossed ship y Mat. 8.25 and Iehosophat z 1 King 21 3â— in the battle yea who apprehended and in perill to be executed vpon his euident fellonies vpon any hope of a pardon makes not all possible speed sets not all his friends a worke for the procuring it without procrastination Oh that we should be so sensible to seeke so present redresse in our humane miseries to salue our greatest extremities and yet vpon our fellonious sinning against our God conuicted and condemned by the infallible witnesse and verdict of our owne conscience in dainger of the fearfullest execution in hell yet as men sleeping on the top of the Mast of the a Pro. 23.34 ship or before the very mouth of a discharging Cannon sencelesse of the dainger wee make such asse-like sluggish pace for preuention The fire of our lusts already kindling another fire euen the fire of Gods wrath and that kindling a third euen the fire of hell in tormenting Tophet b Esa 30.33 to which sinne and sinners are fuell that we shold not be so slow to quench this fire with our teares extracted from a penitentiall heart or to smother it with the sighes and sobs of a throbbing soule Oh that wee could as soone as euer wee perceiue wrath gone from the Almightie prostrate our selues before the Lord as Moses Aaron c Numb 16.46 and with the golden censer and incense of our feruent prayers intreat and intercede the good God for pardon and remission that wee could appeale from the Kings Bench of Iustice to the Checker or Chancery of his Mercy à Deo irato ad Deum placatum d Augustinus in Psalmum 74. from a wrathfull and angry God as incensed by our sinnes to a God appeased reconciled and well pleased with vs in the mediation of his Christ whose blood e Colos 1.14 hath already made the atonement Lastly that we may make a narrow search and scrutiny into the cause or occasion of Ezekiahs castigation and so consequently of his humiliation that is the pride of his heart for so the holy Text saith that Ezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart and wrath ceased c. We shold doe wrong to the Text wrong to the purpose and scope of the Spirit inditing wrong to many a proud heart who perhaps from hence may bee curbed wrong to many a humbled deiected heart who perhaps may be erected comforted if we should pretermit from this ground this remarkable obseruation that pride brings iudgements humiliation remoues them pride kindleth Gods wrath humilitie quencheth it pride casts on oyle and fuell humiliation casts on water pride casts the soule downe humiliation lifts it vp again prides bring the soule into a snare humiliation vnlooseth rescues it pride displeaseth God humiliation appeaseth him Oh the plague and pest of pride oh the helpes and honours of humility Oh here were two Theames in laudem vituperium c. in praise and dispraise of this vertue that vice so opposed worthy the Oratory not onely of a Tully Demosthenes or Hortensius that could goe no further but morality but euen of a Basil a Nazianzens Oration worthy of a Prudentius Vide PrudentiuÌ„â—e pugna humilitatis superbiae a Christian Theologue to expresse the combate the conquest of humility ouer pride
of God for beleeuers o Hebr. 11. per totum see Mr. Perkins his Commentating Sermons in locuÌ„ approued as iust and righteous men commended for their effectuall iustifying faith this mother Faith being euer fruitfull p Gal. 5.6 Iam. 2.26 could not want her eldest daughter Repentance But it is otherwayes with the reprobate and the whole cloud of vnbeleeuers they daily fall but like the Elephant ouerthrowne w th the Rinoceros q De pugna ruina amborum lege Aelian l. 17. c. 40. Surium Comment anno 15.5 Nicolaum de comitibus they with their lusts lie still neuer rise their ioynts are so stiffe they cannot bow their hearts so hard they cannot relent but going on from sinne to sinne from thirst to drunkennesse c they treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath r Rom. 2.5 6. as the thiefe addes fellonies to fellonies against the great day of Assize in the iust declaration of the iudgements of God Their falls are as if a man fall precipitate from a Rocke or promontory euen to the necke breake of their soules they cast themselues downe headlong to hell as willingly as that Curtius Å¿ De quo Liuius lib. 17. Propertius l. 3. ex Ovid. in Ibyn cast himselfe into that deuouring gulph or lake that swallowed him inuisibly they like a man that is vnweildy and stumbles once tripping neuer leaue till they came downe for altogether and once downe like these heauie birds called bustards or some fat swans neuer get wing neuer rise againe to any height till that fowler of hell ceize vpon them for the Lord neither puts vnder his hand to keepe them from falling neither lends them any helpe of Grace to raise them vp but lets them lie wallowing as once that Amasa t 2 Sâ—â— 20.12 wounded by sinne that treacherous Ioab euen in their owne blood these wander continually like blinded men or as a man in a darke night gone wrong euer the longer the further off their reduction and returne is per impossibile it is impossible they should returne u Heb. 6.4 conuert but like that Cain * Gen. 4.10 fly still from God vnlesse the Lord himselfe conuert them and turne them into the right straight and narrow way that leads vnto life I conclude this with one of the Fathers Dauid sinned which Kings great men are wont to doe x Peccauit Dauid quod solent reges peccauit penituit quod non solent reges Ambrose Dauid sinned and repented which great men are not wont to doe so the righteous sinne as the reprobates doe but the righteous sinne and repent which the reprobates are not wont to doe The wicked imitate the godly as it were by warrant in the sinnes which Sathan workes but not in their repentance which God workes SECT 4. The improbabilitie yea impossibilitie of a sinners repentance till God giue the grace THerefore as a further Vse in inlarging the application of this point let it be as exhortatory so comminatory to deter al wicked and vngodly persons from presumptuous sins that are most preiudiciall to their soules these presumptuous sins I cal such as are wrought with a hye hand in hope of immunity and freedome either from the eye of God y Iob 22.13 that he cannot know them or from the power and iustice of God that he cannot or will not punish them or froÌ„ the long suffering of God that he wil tolerate forbear them or from the clemency and mercy of God that he wil pass by them pardon theÌ„ not to insist in any of the former branches but onely in the last that God will pardon any sinne without repentance is an Atheisticall lye dissonant from the Scriptures z Esay 5.11 12 13. Esay 30.33 Psal 6.11 Ps 9.17 Reu. 21.8 chap. 12.15 c from all examples and testimonies in the Booke of God God neuer did this neuer will doe it nay I say cannot doe it vnlesse he deny himselfe a 2 Tim. 2.13 and his reuealed truth which were blasphemy once to speake or thinke Now then see on what tickle ground a wicked man stands on what sandy foundations hee builds which is wholly giuen ouer to wicked and sinfull courses for repentance is proper and peculiar onely to the elect euen as faith is which is the fountaine and the mother of it proper to an Ezekiah as here and to others such as he whereas a wicked man that is sold to sinne as was said of Ahab b 1 King 21.20 hath an euill heart of incredulity c Heb. 3.12 and an obdurate heart in impenitency there is a stone in his heart saith the Prophet d Ezek. 36.26 till the Lord take it out yea as we reade of some fellons stearne men that were opened after hanging e Goulart in his admirable Histories translated to this purpose Muret. lib. 12. de diuersis lect cap. 10. Columbus lib. 15. anatom Beneuenius de abditis causis cap. 83. Amatus in cent 6. Cornelius Gemma lib. 2. Cyclognomiae pag. 75. alledge diuerse examples c. there were bones growing through their heart or haire Oh such as he are Deucalions off-spring a stony generation flinty adamantine hard hearted that cannot repent saith the Apostle it is no more in their owne power to repent then to create a new world to turne the course of the Sea as once Iordan backward yea when they would fainest repent in terrors of Conscience vnder the hand of wrath in the time of sicknesse in the fearfull summons of death and the more fearfull apprehension of iudgement as experience speakes to the obseruing eye of those that are wise to marke the passages in the liues and deaths of the wicked they can no more repent then they can remoue mountaines or mill-stones their hearts are as dry as once Gideons fleece f Iudg 6.40 without any dew of grace they are as the bulrush in Summer without any mire g Iob 8.11 or moisture as it was said of drunken dying Nabal h 1 Sam. 25.37 their hearts are as a stone within them as heauy as Lead as impenetrable as Steele as vnyeelding to any exhortations comminations as the Adamant i Apud Theophrastum lib. de lapidibus to the stroke of the Iron as vncapable of any comforts excepting carnall as mad men are of reason sometimes grinning like Dogs howling as hungry Wolues roring as Lyons k To these beasts they are compared Zephan 3.3 Mat. 7.6 and so God shewes himself to them Hos 5.14 chap. 13. vers 7 8. they lye and cry and dye distracted yea desperate in the anxiety of their soules l Examples are in Bomelius Latomus Gerlach D. Krans the Germane with many moe recorded by Sleidan Belonius Lonicer and our Booke of Martyrs or else which is as ill with cauterized consciences insensible of any guilt of sin as dead flesh is of pricking as they
Vipers cryes the voyce of that Cryer who hath fornewarned you to auoyd the wrath or the vengeance to come g Math. 3.7 Euery tree that brings not forth good fruit shall be cut downe and throwne into the fire Bring forth fruits therefore worthy of repentance and amendment of life h ver 10. So S. Peter in his canonicall Epistle to the dispersed Iewes in Asia Bythiniae Capadocea i 1 Pet. 1.1 prescribing a humble and submisse cariage one towards another giuing his reason because God resists the proud and giues grace vnto the humble by an excellent climax and gradation goes from humility towards man to humiliation to wards God from the premises inferring this conclusion humble your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God k Ch. 5 6. and the Lord in due time will lift you vp The very same point of humiliation from the very same grounds euen in the same words is vrged by the Apostle Iames Ch. 4 v. 10. though pressed also in moe words in the verse precedent be afflicted and mourne and weepe let your laughter bee turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse l Iames 4.9 Consonant to this precept hath been from time to time the practice of the Saints of God not onely in a constant and conscionable course omitted now by too many humbling themselues for their daily slips transgressions but more peculiarly in extraordinary humiliations meeting the Lord as did here Ezekiah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem when his iudgements were but threatned when the brandished sword of his wrath was onely drawne and flourished as we may see in the example of the Niniuites at the threatning of Ionas Ion. 3.8 9. In the example of the Israelites terrified from the Lord by Samuel at Mizpah 1 Sam. 7.6 and affrighted of the Philistines ver 7 8. and menaced by the Angel or messenger of the Lord which came from Gilgal to Bochim Iudg. 2.3 4 5. but more especially when they haue either beene smit or wounded or more immediately in danger of wounding by this brandished sword whether weilded in the hand of God by plague or pestilence or in the hand of man in war or bloody persecutiō the striking hand hath beene assayed to be stayed by humiliation as many instances may bee giuen in holy writ as in Dauid whose pride of heart in numbring his people being curbed with the death of seuenty thousand of them swept away by the plague m 2 Sam. 24.16 as dust with a Beesome hee and the elders of Israel seeing the Angel of the Lord stand betwixt the earth and heauen with a drawne sword n 1 Chro. 21.16 fell vpon their faces cloathed with sackcloth and vpon Dauids humble prayer as once before when Phineas o Psal 106.30 prayed the plague ceased so Iehosophat being wonderfully straitned p 2 Chro. 20.3 when the children of Moab and Ammon with their mighty martiall troupes came against him from beyond the sea on this side Syria as our Ezekiah was in the like exigents when the strong and numerous powers of Senacherib besieged Ierusalem hee hauing no power nor strength to resist them betakes himself to the strong God the tower of the righteous the Lord of hosts and in the most serious humiliation that euer I read of he and all Iudah standing before the Lord with their wiues their children and their little ones q ver 13. crying weeping fasting and importuning the Lord with most feruent and effectuall prayers there was the most excellent effect in the discomfiture of their enemies in the most miraculous manner most glorious to God most aduantageous to Israel that euer was instanced in any age before or since so when Ioshua and the men of Israel fled before the men of Ai and turned their backs of the Canaanites to the losse of 36 mē Ioshua rent his clothes fell to the earth vpon his face before the Arke of the Lord Ioshua 7. vntill the euening he and the Elders of Israel and put dust vpon their heads Iosh 7 6 7. here was humiliation so when the rest of the Tribes in a good righteous cause in which victory was promised were twise put to the foyle with losse dammage by the insulting Beniamites the Israelites wondrously humbled themselues wept and fasted before the Lord a whole day vntill euening offring peace offrings and burnt offerings before the Lord and vpon that were victorious Iudg. 20. ver 23.26 So we know the practice of Mardocheus and Esther and the distressed Iewes at Sushan when their liues and bloods were sold by that wicked serpentine Hamman what Ezra and the Elders and people of Israel did r Ezra 10.1 2 when the Lord was prouoked and angred by their taking of strange wiues of the Canaanites what Nehemiah did when he heard of the great affliction reproach of them that were left of the captiuity and the breaking downe of the wall of Ierusalem and burning the Gates thereof with fire namely that in all these afflictions these feares these sinnes these sufferings they humbled their soules as here our Ezekiah vnder the mighty hand of God and had a blessed issue a gracious answer an excellent haruest vpon their deepe plowing and wet sowing I say briefly to all and euery one of vs contenting my selfe with these reasons at this time as our Sauiour to him in the Gospell vade tu fac similiter ſ Luke 10.37 Oh thou sinning soule who ere thou art that lyest open till thy humiliation haue made thy peace to all the gunshot Cannons of Gods iudgement the force and fury of all the creatures or thou that art threatned by the rod shaken at thee or the sword drawne as against Adam by the Cherubin and Balaam by the Angel or hast felt or dost feele the smarting rod of wrath vpō thy shoulders already goe thou and doe the like as did here Ezekiah Dauid those Nineuites those Israelites those Tribes Ioshua Iehosophat Ezra Nehemiah Esther Mardocheus humble thy selfe before the Lord cast down thy soule before his footstoole fast and pray and weepe and lament suffer affliction and sorrowes as St. Iames exhorts Iames 4.9 eate no pleasing meats as Daniel t Dan. 10.2 3. for many dayes let thy sighing come vnto thee before thy eating as it did to Iob cry mightily to the Lord as did Niniuie u Ionas 3.4 abhorre thy selfe in sackcloth and ashes x Iob 42 6. loath thy sinnes and thy selfe for thy sinne that the Lord may loue thee and may againe looke fauourably vpon thee and shew thee the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto thee y Psal 87.1 that thy flesh may come vnto thee againe like the flesh of a childe that thy sad soule may be solaced that the teares may be wiped from thine eyes that thy deiected spirit may be comforted may reioyce in God thy Sauiour and be made ioyfull in the ioyes of
tell them as our Sauiour Christ the Pharisees c Luke 13.3 except they repent they shall perish and iniquity shall be their destruction the soule that sinnes shall dye the death d Ezek. 18.1 We must cry to all to iudge and examine themselues else they shall bee iudged of the Lord e 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Psal 4.4 Lament 3.40 By thus preaching and accordingly humble walking we shall saue our selues and them that heare vs wee shall bring some perhaps out of the power of darknesse f Acts 26.18 plucke them out of the snares of the Deuill g 2 Tim. 2.26 pull them as brands out of the fire as the Angels did Lot out of Sodom we shall cause them by repentance as here the inhabitants of Iudah to turne away the fierce wrath of the Lord from our Nation at least we shall deliuer our owne soules h Ezek 33. wash our hands in innocency and be free from the blood of all as was good Paul an excellent patterne in all these duties Acts 20.26 SECT 3. Those reproued who are neither humbled themselues nor seeke to humble others ANd here ere I goe to any further subiect of this humiliation if I may be so bold to expostulate a while with those who seeme to be much defectiue in this duty failing in acting the parts of humiliates themselues or to effect humiliation in others Vses of redargution First here those are iustly reprehensible that are insensible of the sinnes of the times such as being euerywhere taxed by the Prophets for their couetousnesse pride excesse of riot and the like see no sinnes either in themselues or others as matter of this mournfull humiliation but by their owne lyes and bad liues so strengthen the hands of the wicked that none doe turne from their euill wayes these of all others the Lord threatens shall smart when iudgement beginnes at the Sanctuary because both by their liues and doctrine they feed the people with gall and wormwood with froth and vanity i Ier. 23.14 15 16 21 22 32. Esay 29 10. Esay 6.6 7. Esay 29 11. Esay 28.7 Secondly those also are in the same predicament whose eyes are so shut that they cannot discerne of the plagues that are threatned in the Booke of God such as on whom the Lord hath poured the spirit of deepe sleepe and slumber and hath closed their eyes as well as the peoples that seeing they see not nor vnderstand not such as to whom the vision is as a sealed booke such as erre through Wine and are out of the way through strong drinke erring in vision and stumbling in iudgement such as are either doltishly ignorant blind leaders of the blind or selfe conceited of their knowledge as were some in Ieremies time which had onely a superficiall swimming braine-knowledge though indeed disioyned from sanctification there was no wisedome in them cannot discerne either of the cause of plagues and wrath or of the curse or cure of sin to auoyd sin or to feare the effects of sinne either in themselues or others are here iustly reprehensible Thirdly these are yet more culpable who when according their place and calling they should sharply reproue the sinnes of a people ouer whom they are placed as Pastors and shew them the annexed iudgements to deterre and affright them from it as the prickes doe hinder the hardy child from plucking of the canker-rose reuealing to them all these plagues as sparkes from the fire of wrath that are Pedissequae as handmaids or attendants on sinne recorded by Moses and the Prophets as did Esay Ieremy Ezekiel and the rest of the Prophets before alledged they on the contrary as did their predecessors in former times which euery where are declaimed against as temporizing for their owne ends sow pillowes vnder their elbowes to make them take a deeper and deadlier nap in sinne they heale the hurts of the people with faire words they cry peace peace and all is well when indeed there is no peace to the wicked saith my God k Esay 57.19 they prophesie lyes in the name of the Lord and to euery one that walks after the stubbornnesse of his owne heart they say no euill shall come when indeed Hannibal ad portas Hannibal is euen at Romes gates the Palladian horse is ready to enter Troy sinne lyes euen at the doore l Gen 4.7 Thus they dawbe with vntempered morter m Ezek. 13.10 15. dawbing vp the consciences of poore people or as the Prophet Osee termes them they are Fowlers who both by their flattery catch for themselues n Hos 5.2.8.8 and by their fraudulency bring the people into the net and snare of Gods wrath euen vnawares Such as these were they in Ieremies time who when they should haue preuented the captiuity by turning the people from their wicked wayes and from the euill of their inuentions which they might haue done had they stood in Gods counsell Ier. 23.22 and declared his wayes vnto his people They on the contrary Lament 2.14 by not discouering the iniquity helped forward the Captiuity Oh these soothers Ier. 23 14. these flatterers the Lord professeth are vnto him as Sodom he professeth he neuer sent them that they prophesie onely a lye in his name but that they sent themselues that both they and the deluded people might perish Fourthly yet worse if worse can be are those that neither forewarne of the wrath and vengeance to come as sinnes due desert neither with patience will permit others what they ought to doe themselues such as these were the Pseudo-prophets false Prophets and false Apostles who alwayes opposed the true Such an one was Pashur who smit Ieremy and put him in prison o Ier. 20.1 2. as also other of the Priests and Prophets bitter against him to the very death p Ier. 26. because he prophesied against the Temple and against the City and Shiloh who had indeed preuailed in their purposes notwithstanding all his apologies had he not been deliuered by a Nobleman Ahikan and others which stood for him q vers 16 17 18 The like practice vsed Shemiah the Neholamite against this mournfull Ieremy r Ier. 29.24 25. the like did Amasiah the high Priest of Bethel in stirring vp Ieroboam against Amos Å¿ Amos 7.10 as though he had beene a turbulent fellow and had conspired against the King This success had Christ himselfe amongst the Scribes and Pharisees his emulators of that credit he had with the people euen to the death t Iohn 9.24.29 Such successe had his Apostles after him sent among them as Sheepe among Wolues Mat. 23.34 such as these are so farre from turning away iudgement from a people by bringing them to humiliation that indeed they bring iudgements vpon themselues their houses and bloods as did Pashur and Amaziah and Zidkiah c. these must beare the iniquity of the people and bee remoued by iudgement