into the hand of them that seeke their life and into the hand of the King of Babilons armie which are gone up from you Behold I will command saith the Lord and cause them to returne to this city and they shall fight against it and take it and burne it with fire and I will make the city of Iudah a desolation without an inhabitant Yet was not this sentence though thus uttered with indignation as yet altogether unchangeable much lesse was this peoples safety peremptorily decreed by God as their false Prophets misperswaded them This errour concerning the tenour of Gods decree or covenant being planted in them the Egiptians expedition against the Caldean armie for Ierusalems succour might with faire applause be pretended as a meane ordained by God for effecting their safety To quell this their vaine confidence in the strength of Egipt the Prophet reavoucheth his former message with some additions Ier. 37. 7. 8. 9. This saith the Lord God of Israel thus shall ye say to the King of Iudah that sent you unto me to enquire of me Behold Pharaohs army which is come forth to helpe you shall returne to Egipt into their own land and the Caldeans shall come againe and fight against the city and take it and burne it with fire thus saith the Lord deceive not your selves saying the Caldeans shall surely depart from us for they shall not depart For though yee had smitten the whole armie of Caldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burne this city with fire Yet was not the event here foretold at this time altogether inevitable but inevitable only upon their refusall to obey the Prophets counsell for after this time the same Prophet shews King Zedechiah a way or meane ordained by God which if he had followed a great part of this calamity so peremptorily denounced might have beene avoided Ierem. 38. 17. Then said Ieremiah unto Zedechiah thus saith the Lord God of Israel if thou wilt assurely goe forth unto the King of Babilon then thy soule shall live and this city shall not be burnt with fire and thou shalt live and thine house But if thou wilt not goe forth to the King of Babilons Princes then shall this city be given into the hands of the Caldeans and they shall burne it with fire and thou shalt not escape out of their hands This was the last warning which he was to expect from God by his Prophet for his peace But not hearkning unto his voice whilst it was called to day but seeking to escape the Iudgements denounced by flight he inevitably brought them upon himselfe upon his Princes upon the temple in a greater measure especially as they concerned himselfe and his house then they had beene threatned When the Caldean Princes entred the city Zedechiah and the men of warre fled out of the city by night but the Caldeans hoste pursued after them and overtooke Zedechiah in the desert of Iericho and brought him to Nebuchadnezar King of Babell unto Riblah where he slew the sons of Zedechiah before his eies and all the nobles of Iudah a lamentable farewell to the sence of sight and liberty for immediatly after he put out Zedechiahs eyes and put him in chaines to cary him to Babilon v. 7. Thus have you heard how Ierusalē and Iudah came to a lamentable tragicall end by diseases in their nature not incurable but made such by their own wilfulnesse in not hearkning to the voice of Gods Prophets Did then the wisdōe of God who out of compassion sent his Prophets unto them whilst the first temple stood come in person himselfe to increase the misery of that generation with whom he converst here on earth or to destroy the second temple with a more fearefull destruction then had befallen the first That this generation became a prey in the issue to the Roman vultures was not from want of good will in him to gather them but from their unwillingnesse to be gathered under his wings witnesse himselfe Mat. 23. 37. Ierusalem Ierusalem c. But did he speake this as God or as man a captious question What if I should say that it was vox humana and yet vox Dei the voice of God uttered by man the very personall voice of the sonne of God as S. Luke testifies He spake as never man spake and was so affected towards Ierusalem as never man was affected The Prophet Ieremy after he had seene that tragedy really acted which he had represented in words did wish his head had beene a fountaine of teares that hee might weepe day and night for the slain of his people The wisdome and sonne of God became a more sorrowfull spectatour of a second tragedy of Ierusalem not as yet within forty yeares probability to be acted when he came neare saith S. Luke 19. 41. he beheld the city and wept for it saying Oh if thou had'st even knowne at the least in this day those things which belong unto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes These his teares though he wept as man were a visible expression of his divine inexpressible love toward Ierusalem and her inhabitants after they had deserved this ill at his hands stifly bent to deserve much worse As yet it was called to day but this was a criticall day and full of danger howbeit Ierusalems sin was not sealed up untill the signe of the Prophet Ionas was expired After his Resurection from the dead Ierusalem had yet forty dayes for repentance as Nineveh had for so long our Saviour remained here on earth but Ierusalems Children not repenting within that time as Nineveh did their estate became as desperate as their murmuring fore-Fathers had been in the wildernes they were to wander forty yeares in the wildernesse before any of them could enter into the land of promise and as many as were aboue twenty yeares being cut off by oaths from all hopes or possibilities of entring in at all This generation whom our Saviour here forwarnes were to continue in it forty yeares which being expired they and their Children haue beene exterminated and banished from it for almost forty times forty yeares During the forty yeares wherein they were permitted to remaine in it their estate was no lesse miserable then their fore-Fathers had beene in the wildernesse There dyed in the wildernesse almost six hundred thousand men of this latter generation well nigh twice as many within the same compasse of time did die more miserably Ierusalem being first made their prison afterwards their grave first an heape of carkasses and then a heape of stones Now seeing as our Apostle saith these Iewes did not stumble to the end that they should fall but rather that by their fall salvation might come unto the Gentiles let us beseech our gratious God that from Ierusalems ruine we may in time and whilst it is called to day seeke
the same branch of the same article It is he that made us which only can preserve us and whiles we professe that it is hee that made us and not wee our selves that he is the maker of all things visible invisible we include as much as the Apostle saith somewhat more then he expresseth in these words In him we move live and have our being which containe the three speciall branches of Gods power Miracles properly so called consist in some extraordinary manifestation of Gods power either adding somewhat unto or subtracting somewhat from the ordinary efficacy of instrumentall causes or observable course of nature All miracles may be reduced to such manifestation either of Gods creative or his conservative or cooperative power Sampsons strength or archievements were truely miraculous and did suppose an addition of force supernaturall to his native activity or extraordinary measure of Gods coworking power The victory which Iosuah got over the Amorites was after this manner miraculous There was a power more than naturall as well in the motion as in the making of those great stones wherewith the Amorites were beaten downe The three Children againe were preserved untoucht in the midst of the flaming furnace by true miracle or extraordinary manifestation of Gods power But this consisted not in the addition of any supernaturall forces unto it but in the meere subtraction of Gods co-working power without subtraction of his creative or conserving power for so it had ceased not only to burne but to be fire The suddaine withering of Ieroboams hand was a true miracle but did consist in the subtraction of Gods preserving power that is that branch of his power in which as the Apostle speakes all things live that are endowed with life That God hath thus wrought the safety of his servants and yet is able to worke by these or the like more miraculous meanes wee doe believe in that we believe he is the Almighty maker of heaven and earth But besides that absolute dependance which every particular creature hath on these branches of his power by which their severall efficacies may be extraordinarily increased or diminished there is an essentiall subordination of all the severall rankes of his creatures with whatsoever strength or efficacy they be endowed unto his providence as in wisdome he made them all so in wisdome he marshalleth and ordereth them all Now the contrivance of meanes or agents for their nature or kinde but ordinary may be more admirable than miracles properly so called that is than his particular workes of wonder Miracles are in their nature more apt to affect the sence but the sweet contrivances of Gods wisdome and providence doe more affect the understanding The one workes astonishment the other admiration For this reason were miracles more frequent in the infancy of the Church as an awfull kinde of discipline to inforce unbeleevers to give audience unto the word of life and to take Gods promises which would otherwise be sleighted into serious consideration But the wayes of Gods wisdome or sweet disposition of his providence are more apt to cherish the seed of life being sowen in mens hearts Miracles by continuall frequency would cease to be miracles would not be wondred at whereas the unsearchable wayes of Gods wisdome or his indissoluble contrivances of extraordinary successe by meanes ordinary will uncessantly breed in us matter of admiration His wayes and contrivances are still in one kinde or other most admirable but we want eyes or will to contemplate or observe them Yet let us see whether the greatest deliuerances which God wrought for his children of Israel besides that one in bringing them out of the land of Egypt were not wrought by meanes ordinary and usuall if we respect their particular or severall agencies and admirable and extraordinary only for their combination and contrivance When the Lord turned againe the captivity of Sion we were like them that dreame Then was our mouth fill'd with laughter and our tongues with singing Then said they among the heathen the Lord hath done great things for them yea the Lord hath done great things for us already whereof wee reioyce Psal. 120. v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. This was indeed a great deliverance and so to be acknowledged by all posterity For so the Prophet had foretold Ier. 23. 7. Behold the day is come saith the Lord that they shall no more sya the Lord liveth which brought forth the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North country and from all countryes whether I had driven them and they shall dwell in their owne land Not to make comparison betwixt the mighty workes of God or not to question whether according to the literall meaning of this Prophecy the fame or fresh memory of this second deliverance out of Chaldey should eclipse the fame of the former out of Egypt This is certaine aud unquestionable that this latter deliverance was a most exact parallell to the former And yet if we could exactly calculate all the particular meanes which did concurre to the surprisall of Babylon by Cyrus or to Cyrus his setting this people free we should not finde one miraculous effect among them And yet if wee would but seriously compare all the circumstances and concurrences of second causes which Herodotus and Xenophon relate with the sacred predictions concerning Cyrus his good successe against Babylon the intire contrivance of them is most admirable and such as would give us a more pleasant view or modell of Gods infinite wisdome then miracles can doe of his infinite power Againe in that deliverance of the Iewes from Hamans conspiracy there is no extraordinary manifestation of Gods power no particular cause or agent was in it's working advanced above the ordinary pitch of nature and yet the contrivance or suiting of these ordinary agents appointed by God is more admirable then if the same end had beene effected by meanes truly miraculous For a King not to take kindly rest by night though in a bed of ease is not unusuall For a King againe to seeke to solace his waking thoughts by hearing the Annalls of his kingdome or the journalls of his owne reigne read unto him is more commendable then rare But that King Assuerus should lye awake at that time specially when Haman did watch and plot the destruction of the Iewes that causing the Chronicles of his Kingdome to be read the reader should light on the place wherein Mordecai his unrewarded good service in discovering the treason intended against the Kings person was recorded this was from the keeper of Israel who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth and who was marveilous in his peoples sight It was his doing likewise that Hester though by Mordecai's advice should conceale her nation and parentage untill she came in such high favour with the King That Queene Vashti should be displaced and she preferred
if it had beene already gotten A victory or defeate of the enemy without the active endeavours of men fully parallell to this we have in the 2. of Kings c. 19. v. 15. to wit the great discomfiture of Senacheribs army which had for a long time besieged Hierusalem Such was the successe of Hezekiahs prayers which were conceived in that forme which Solomon here prescribes and uttered in this house which he now consecrates And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubins thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow downe thine eare and heare Open Lord thine eyes and see and heare the words of Senacherib which hath sent him to reproach the living God v. 15. 16 To this petition he receives this answere v. 32. Thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria he shall not come into this city nor shoot an Arrow there nor come before it with shield nor cast a banke against it By the way that he came the same shall he returne and shall not come into this city saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for mine owne sake and for my servant Davids sake The like joyfull deliverance was obtained by the prayers of Elisha in that streight siege of Samaria and the famine wherewith the city was so grievously pinched was suddainly turned into such plenty that whereas an Asses head had beene fold one day for 40 peeces of silver the morrow after two measures of Barley and a measure of wheate flowre was sold for a shekell 2. Kings 6. 25. 7. 18. Heaven we reade was shut up for three yeares in Elisas's time the earth was chapped and the land of Israel wounded with famine for want of raine Heaven is opened againe by Elias his prayer and the land refreshed 1. Kings 17. 1. 18. 45. So that there is not one branch of Solomons petition which the Lord did not really accomplish when this people prayed unto him as Solomon prescribes them Through want of such prayers as Solomon here makes or at least for want of that faith by which the prayers of Iehosaphat Hezekias and the Prophets were conceived Iehoiakim Zedekiah c. found no such successe or deliverance in their distresse as these two godly Princes had done But some men the better they believe these sacred stories concerning the infallible successe of the Kings of Iudah's godly prayers The more prone they will be to question in what cases how farre or whether at all the undoubted grant of Solomons petition may any way concerne us or the times wherein we live The question may seeme more pertinent or rather the second generall point proposed by us may seeme more questionable or more then questionable altogether impertinent because most of these victories or deliverances which Iudah or Israel obtained by prayers were miraculous such as farre exceed the force of naturall causes or meanes ordinary and which are without the reach or contrivance of policy And what assurance then can wee have that our prayers shall bee answered with like successe unlesse we may believe or hope that even our prayers or supplications may procure true miracles but miracles have altogether or for the most part ceased for these later times in which for this reason that song of the Psalmist might be more fitly taken up than the practise of Solomon or the Kings of Iudah We have heard with our eares our fathers have declared unto us the noble workes which thou didst in their daies in the old time before thē Thus to complaine of the times wherein wee live in respect of former all of us are by nature too prone and this pronenesse is one speciall meanes by which the fervency of better spirits devotion is so much dampned yet Solomon hath told us that we are but foolish inquisitors And if but foolish inquisitors then certainly no competent judges in this case To say that these times are not more corrupt then former were to flatter them enough to convince us of being time-servers yet to complaine of them or to lament them as men doe which have no hope or assurance in Gods promises were to accuse God a spice of infidelity Certainly there is no fault in the times or in the places wherein we live but such as we our selves respectively infuse into them some by wickednesse of life others by impious or ungodly opinions Let us then so use our freedome in speaking the truth of the times wherein we live that we doe not slander the eternall dispenser of times and seasons that we cast no aspersions upon his fatherly care and providence God hath not forgotten to be as good and gracious unto our times as he hath beene unto former ages but we have forgotten to bee thankfull unto him we either are distrustfull of our selves or for the most part teach others to distrust the extent of his goodnesse whose certaine beliefe must bee the roote of prayers as well for blessings spirituall as temporall There is no speedier way or shorter cut unto Gods curse or vengeance then by distrusting his goodnesse towards our selves or by denying the fruites of it unto others But to the Quaere proposed How farre the grant of Solomons petition may concerne our selves or the times wherein we live the answere is ready Our present interest in that grant our assurance in Gods promises for blessings temporall to that people may be as great our deliverance from dangers imminent and unavoidable to the apprehension of man may be as certaine and infallible as theirs was albeit God doth not in particular promise succour or worke our safety by the same and like meanes as he did theirs Admit then it were an Article of our Creed as it is not that miracles in these later times haue ceased may not upon any exigence be expected that to seeke after such signes and wonders as were given then were a tempting of God as intruth it is no better yet all this ought not to weaken our assurance that the issue of our prayers so they be as faithfull as theirs were shal be as ioyfull to our selves as beneficiall to the state and kingdome as Iehosaphats and Hezekiahs prayers were Gods goodnesse towards us his providence over us is still the same and our beleife of this his goodnesse if in us it be true and sound 't is the same it was in them so will the issue be the same either in kinde or by equivalency Whether the like issue or successe be wrought by meanes ordinary or extraordinary is meerly accidentall to the certaine of it Not to embrace the workes of his wisdome with as thankfull hearts as Israel did the workes of his power would be childish and pettish Hopes of successe whether by meanes ordinary or miraculous must in all ages be grounded upon the same article of faith but not at all times upon