and praying Every coward is capable of the former and he is a very foole that when other meanes faile cannot practice the later Must we then decline all triall of his wisdome by the received rule of humane policy This wee might doe but this we need not doe For the depth of his wisdome and policy will appeare if wee measure it by that rule or scale of that policy which the wisemen of this world hold in greatest admiration For so a great master of the art of policy tels us that when any state or kingdome is either weakened by meanes internall as by the sloath the negligence or carelesnesse of the Governours as diseases grow in mens bodies by degrees insensible for want of exercise or good dyet or whether they be wounded by causes external the only method for recovering their former strength and dignity is ut omnia ad sua principia revocentur by giving life unto the fundamentall lawes and ancient customes As for new inventions what depth or subtilities soever they cary unlesse they suite well with the fundamentall lawes or customes of the state wherein they practice they proove in the issue but like empiricall Physick which agrees not with the naturall disposition or customary dyet of the party to whom it is ministred Of the former aphorisme you have many probatum's in the ancient Roman state So have yee of the later in the state of Italy about the time wherein Machiavel wrote if we may believe him in his owne profession Admit then the rule or method were as for ought I have to say it is without exception yet the successe of the practice how conformable soever to the rule must still depend on that measure of goodnesse which is contained in the fundamentall lawes or primevall customes of every Nation If these be but comparatively good the successe of the practice cannot be absolute If they be but seemingly good or mixed with evill the great Philosopher treating of this subiect hath foretold the successe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is either falsly or but seemingly good will in revolution of time bring forth effects truly and really evill If the fundamenmentall lawes of any state be not firme or sound whatsoever else is laid upon them there lyes a necessity of finking with their owne weight Where the basis is but narrow the fastigium or roofe cannot be high Or where the foundation is both firme and spatious yet if the structure be set awry with every degree of height it gets there growes a parallell degree of inclination to its sudden downefall Now if Hezekiah in making choice of prayer before any other meanes of policy did practice according to the former rule that is as the ancient lawes of that kingdome and rules of goverment prescribed by his Ancestors did direct him he was more politickly wise than any Prince of other Nations in these times could be than any at this day can be besides such as have the like fundamentall lawes or take his practice in like exigence for their patterne For the fundamentall lawes of his kingdome were absolutely good as being immediately given by God himselfe The best lawes of other Nations were but the inventions of men Hence saith the Psalmist Psal. 147. v. 19. Hee sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel Yet Moses presumed that other Nations which had no knowledge of their lawes in particular should from the happy successe which was to attend their due observance acknowledge in generall that their lawes were more righteous and able to make this people wiser than other Nations could be For so Moses had said Deut. 4. 5. Behold I have taught you statutes and Iudgements even as the Lord my God commanded me keepe therefore and doe them For this is your wisdome and understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall heare all these statutes and say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people And what Nation is there so great that hath statutes and Iudgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Amongst other Nations some had lawes in their kinde good for warre others for peace few or none good lawes for both none absolutely good for either No such lawes as their strict observance might secure them from their enemies They could not be so wise in projecting their owne future prosperity but their enemies might bee as subtile in contriving their adversity They could not bee so strong in battaile but their enemies and their Allies might be as strong as they They could not bee so industrious or vigilant for recovering the strength or dignity of their weakned estate but their enemies might be as vigilant to defeate their intentions Or albeit one Nation had so farre overtopped another as well in councell of peace as strength of warre as to be able to keepe them perpetually under yet no lawes no inventions of men could ever secure the most potent Nation on earth from such dangers as accrue from the host of inanimate or reasonlesse creatures albeit all Neighbour Nations were at peace with them or sworne confederates for advancing their state and dignity Against the hosts or armies of men some preparations may alwaies be made because they come not without notice or preparation but the severall hosts of the reasonlesse creatures come upon men for the most part without observation or fore-sight And one of them can execute anothers office or charge or every one accomplish that worke which the Armies of men did intend but could not execute That scarcity of bread or other calamity which sometime suddainly ariseth in some limbe or corner of a kingdome by want of trade or by shutting up too great a multitude of ships for a long time in one harbour whilst the enemy or Pirats annoy the coasts how easily might it be much increased if he that keepes the windes as in a treasure house should shut up a greater multitude of ships for a long time in the same harbour by a contrary winde albeit their enemies in the meane while become their friends albeit they were provided of an invincible navy at an houres warning Or in case they did know whence the winde commeth or whither it is going or could so covenant that it should blow where and when they listed yet if the Lord of hosts be so pleased he can bring a greater dearth and scarcity upon the most fertile provinces of the land then either the enemy or contrary windes can occasion either by withdrawing the sweet influence of the heavens or by corrupting the seed lately sowne or corne ready to be reaped with abundant moisture Or admit any people or Nation by miracle or divine dispensation might have authority not over the windes only but over the clouds the raine and dew or such a power of shutting and opening heaven as husband-men have of letting in brookes upon their medowes and taking them off againe at their pleasures so as they
might have seed time and harvest as seasonable their fields as fruitfull the Sea as open as their hearts could desire yet the very freedome of commerce and traffique whether with foraine Nations or with other members of the same Nation may bring in a greater inconvenience which no plenty can hold out then the enemy then unseasonable winde or weather could threaten Want of trade and want of victuals are plagues or punishments sent by God but the plague of pestilence which is oft times the companion of peace and plenty the usuall effect of free trading or traffique is more terrible then either of the former wants And thus may every part of the reasonlesse host accomplish what another had omitted Now with turbulent spirits or unruly men good lawes duely executed may take some order but against unseasonable weather against unruly or incommodious windes no law of man no act of Parliament can provide Against the plague or pestilence no councell of state or warre no host or army can secure themselves much lesse others Though they that besiege and are besieged doe keepe watch and sentinell day and night yet the arrowes of this dreadfull messenger flye more certainly to the marke whereto they are directed though at mid-night then their bullets doe at mid-day As there is no counsell against the Lord so there is no policy that can prevent the execution of Gods judgements upon mightiest kingdomes by the meanest of his creatures besides that policy which his lawes given to Israel did prescribe One speciall branch of that wisdome which Moses ascribes unto these lawes was they taught their observers not to trust in bow or shield not to put any part of their confidence in the strength or wit of man no not in their owne observation of these very lawes or reformation wrought by their rules as it was theirs but only in the Lord of hosts Hee was their wisdome and he was their strength whensoever any danger did approach whether from men or from other creatures their lawes did teach them that he was absolute Lord over all that the hearts of Kings and Governours were under his governance that he could dispose turne them as it seemed best to his heavenly wisdome And that alwaies seemes best to him which is for the good of such as repose their whole trust and confidence in him When Israels enemies displeased him more then Israel did he made them stronger then their enemies and when their waies did please him he made their enemies as Solomon speakes to be at peace with them Whilst they faithfully served this Lord of hosts they knew hee could command the whole host of the reasonlesse or livelesse creatures to doe them service From this knowledge of God and his lawes did Solomon gather these unerring rules of sacred policy whose observation at this time did and might for ever have preserved this kingdome There is no inconvenience of peace no mischeife of warre no kind of calamity which can befall any state or kingdome against which the fundamentall lawes of this Nation and the rules of policy gathered from them by Solomon did not sufficiently provide The soveraigne remedies for every particular disease or kind of calamity are set downe at large 2. Chron. 6. v. 22. to the 40. The remedy against the calamity of war v. 24. 25. against the calamity that may come by drought v. 26. 27. against famine pestilence and blasting of corne or other inconvenience from the host of reasonlesse creatures you have the remedy v. 29. 30. against captivity in a foraigne land v. 37. 38. The soveraigne remedy against all these and other like inconveniences and calamities is for substance one and the same with that which good King Hezekiah here used to feare the Lord and pray unto the Lord either in the Temple when they had opportunity to resort unto it or towards the Temple or the place wherein it stood when they soiourned 〈◊〉 were detained Captives in a foraigne land And who so would diligently peruse the sacred story from Solomons time untill this peoples returne from captivity and the building up of the second Temple shall finde a probatum of this Catholique and soveraigne medicine in respect of every branch of calamity mentioned by Solomon at the consecration of the first Temple I must hold to the instance of my Text. Another branch of that which was contained in the fundamentall lawes of this kingdome and which goes a great deale deeper than the fundamentall rules of any other policy was this that of all calamities which did or could befall them their sinnes and transgressions were the prime causes and whatsoever afflictions were laid upon them for their sinnes could not bee taken off without the humble supplication of the sinners Vnto a lower ebbe then King Ahaz did leave it at the kingdome of Iudah had not beene brought by any of his Predecessors or by any other in their dayes Now of all the miseries which at any time befell it by the famine by the enemies sword or by the pestilence the only cause which the rule of faith assignes was their forsaking of the Lord their God and the transgressing of his lawes But to prevent the perpetuity and continuance of such calamities as king Ahaz and his Adherents had by their foule transgressions involved this kingdome in no attempt or practice of Prince or people whether joyntly or severally did ever finde successe untill they put Solomons rules of sacred policy in practice as good king Hezekiah did Did hee not feare the Lord and prayed before the Lord c. The fruits of his prayer and the reformation of those corrupt times by giving life unto their fundamentall lawes were two First his prayers procured an healing of the wounds which by negligence of his Predecessors had beene given to the State Secondly he prevented the execution of those terrible Iudgments which in his owne dayes did hang over this land and people specially over their Heads and Rulers The kingdome of David had sometimes exceeded the most flourishing neighbour kingdomes as farre as the Cedars of Libanus did the ordinary trees of the forrest but was now brought low That height which was left her but as a decayed tree markt to the fall Hezekiah by zealous prayers removes the axe from the roote after it had made such deepe incision that it was scarce able to beare its stemme though dispoiled of his top or principall branches it nearely concerned every one which hoped for shelter under its shade to pray for gentle winds and comfortable weather that shee might recover root and branch againe But so Hezekiah's and his peoples Successors did not Manasses his sonne found a people not untoward as being in some tolerable sort reformed by Hezekiah but he himselfe a most untoward King able by his authority and bad example to undoe what his good father had well done to spoile and marre a greater people than he was Lord of though better reformed in Iosiah
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
reward and the Priests therereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money Now untill these greedy hopes of unlawfull gaine were abandoned they could not pray in faith The ministration of publique Iustice for private reward the Priests teaching for hire and the Prophets divination for money would respectively turne their very prayers into sinne Now what meanes could be more effectuall for abandoning these and the like sinnes then the iudgement which the Prophet there threatned from the Lord Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become heapes and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forrest Micah 3. 12. If the heads of the house of Iudah and Princes of the house of Israel to whom this message is directed did sincerely and truly beleive him that sent it they could not but feare least without their speedy repentance the Lord would quickly accomplish whatsoever the Prophet in his name had threatned Now hearty and unfained feare that Sion should be plowed as a field that Ierusalem should become a heape would move all such as had not their habitation only but the very roote of their livelyhood in them to lay a better foundation of their owne and of their posterities welfare than bloud and violence It would incline the hearts of their Rulers and Magistrates to breake off their iniquity by sincere administration of Iustice by almes-deeds and workes of mercy Feare againe least the mountaine of the house that is the Temple or whose flourishing estate the livelyhood and welfare of Priests and Prophets did so depend as the Passengers life doth on the safety of the ship wherein hee sailes would worke their hearts to an observance of the properties or qualifications to the performance of all the conditions which are required to faithfull and effectuall praiers But of the conditions of successefull praiers and of the qualification of good Suppliants fitter occasion will offer it selfe hereafter Thus much towards this purpose wee have gotten from these generals that the hearts of men which have been long accustomed or hardened in perverse courses of grosser sinnes will hardly be new moulded or refashioned according or wrought unto the temper and modell of Hezekiah's heart until they be made to melt with feare of such Iudgements as Micah here theatened against Iudah Ierusalem and Sion For producing this melting or mollifying feare the considerations are specially three First the consciousnesse or apprehensions of such sinnes as specially provoke Gods anger or sollicite his Iudgments Secondly a faithfull recounting of divine forewarnings or monitions past especially if they have been grossely neglected or usually sleighted Thirdly the Inspection of the instrumentall causes or meanes in probability appointed for the execution of Iudgments threatened or a diligent observance of the signes of the time As these be the speciall meanes for begetting unfained feare so the best method for nurturing up such feare begotten that it neither grow slavish nor wilde that it end not in desperation is to know in what sence the Lord is said to repent For the sinnes which specially provoke Gods fearefull iudgement against any land or people wee cannot have a more distinct view of them in breife than from the Prophet Micah in the forecited place Bribery and corruption in the seates of Iustice oppressions and cruelty in the mighty and wealthy mercenary temporizings in the sonnes of Levi every one of these diseases is dangerous though alone but when they all meete in any state or kingdome they grow deadly Or if Micah may be no further allowed of than of a single witnesse we may adde unto him the like testimonies of the Prophet Isaiah who lived in the same time with him Corruption in the seate of Iustice did in his time taint the service of the Temple turned the prayers of the Rulers into sinne and made their sacrifices become abominable Esay 1. 14. The very aversnesse or unwillingnesse of such Rulers and oppressors as these were to have the law laid unto them by the Prophets was a prognostick of suddaine Iudgements approaching Isaiah 30. 13. Therefore this iniquity shall bee to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking comes at an instant Now if the Priests and Prophets whose office it is to discover and repaire such breaches doe but dawbe them with untempered mortar and so hide aud cover them from their sight whom it concernes to beware of them by this doing they draw the multitude within the reach of that ruine and destruction which like a trap or snare was ready to fall upon them Or least any should suspect that these prognosticks did serve only for Ierusalem and Iudah the same Prophet instructs us Isaiah 47. that it was oppression and cruelty towards such as shee had conquered which did draw Gods Iudgements upon Babel But that which made them to fall so suddainly and unexpectedly upon them was the popular and man-pleasing humors of her Soothsayers and Diviners Ierusalem and Iudah were at this time sicke of all those three diseases and therefore had iust cause to feare the iudgements threatned Quid quod hos morbos gravius symptoma sequatur There is a symptome mentioned by the Prophet Micah which was worse then the diseases themselves yet will they leane upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us None ill can come upon us v. 11. Elsewhere we reade this people taxed by Gods Prophets for trusting sometimes in lyes sometimes in oppression or violence oft times for putting confidence in their owne strength or in the strength of their confederates But of any branch of this fault they were not at this time guilty yet taxed no lesse as being no lesse taxe-worthy shall I say for trusting the Lord or rather as the Prophet saith for leaning on the Lord That is for presuming on his favour in the consciousnesse of such sinnes as they now stood charged with That to presume on Gods wonted favours or ordinary protection in the consciousnesse of extraordinary sinnes is a most grievous sinne against God best proportioned by his sinne against Gods Deputy who being infected with some dangerous disease should presume to rest himselfe upon the royall chaire is a truth unquestionable But why this people being thus dangerously infected should at this time specially leane upon the Lord and avouch his warrant upon their protection may well be questioned not unfitting to be inquired after The reason I take it is this These peoples fore-elders or these very men themselves in Ahaz time had usually beene indited of Idolatry and found guilty specially of worshipping in high places aud serving groves and Idols But Hezekiah in the very beginning of his raigne remooved the high places brake the Images cut downe the groves brake in peeces the brasen Serpent that Moses had made 2. Kings 18. v. 14. Nor was hee more zealous in repressing all worships of false Gods or Idolatry then
in restoring the service and worship of the true God Albeit hee had found the Temple so strangely prophaned in the first moneth of the yeare of his raigne as might seeme to require many moneths labour for it's preparation cleansing yet in the second moneth by his zealous care the feast of unleavened bread with the Passeover and other parts of Gods service were celebrated with such publike ioy and solemnity as the like had not beene seene in Ierusalem from the dayes of Solomon the sonne of David who consecrated the Temple as we read 2. Chron. 30. v. 26. In all this reformation the Heads and Rulers the Priests and Levites with other parties principally taxed by the Prophet Micah had gone along with their good King and no doubt had entred the same Covenant with the Lord their God which he resolved to do 2. Chron. 29. v. 10. and having thus returned unto the God of their Fathers they presumed that he was now turned to them and would be their Guardian and Protector against their enemies Albeit they had seene their Brethren the ten Tribes of Israel about this time lead into captivity by the Affyrian yet this sad accident through the deceitfulnesse of hypocrisy would in all likely hood adde more to their presumption than to their feare They were at all times prone to iudge others rashly and therefore at this time would in all likelyhood suspect that this Iudgement had befalne Israel because they had this plausible pretence or motive that Israel for the most part would not ioyne with Hezekiah in this reformation of religion or restauration of Gods service but scoffed at his messengers when they were solemnely invited thereunto But this reformation alas was on Iudah's part the King excepted but a lame or defective reformation For whilst they pulled downe idols in the high places suffering the idols of covetousnesse oppression and cruelty to bee enshrined in their hearts whilst they cleanse the Temple from materiall filth or prophanation and in the meane time harboured prophanesse and uncleanesse in their owne breasts they did not turne to the Lord with their whole hearts as the Lord in the Law required and Solomon in the consecration of the Temple did on their part capitulate and covenant However an halfe reformation was better then none Lesse evill it was to have no Idols or Images in the high places no prophanesse in the Temple then to have Idols both in their breasts and in the woods then to have the Temple of God and their hearts alike prophaned This is true yet whilst they rest perswaded that the Lord will graciously accept of their lame sacrifice that is of this superficiall or halfe reformation or that he was tied by promise to performe the mercies which he promised to David and Solomon upon true repentance unto them as they were now affected Laudē cum crimine pensant this confidence or presumption was worse then the abuses which they had reformed To rely or leane upon the Lord in the consciousnesse of those out-crying sinnes was perfect hypocrisie And that is if not worse farre altogether as bad as downe-right open Idolatry And the Prophet Micah would give posterity to understand that these delinquents presumption upon Gods favour before they repented of their grosse sins or delinquences did provoke Gods fierce wrath against them more then the sins themselves did They presumed God would be extraordinarily favourable unto them for Ierusalem and Sion's sake at least for the Temples sake seeing the Lord had chosen that place to put his name there But the righteous Lord by his Prophet declares himselfe to be so farre from this partiality or respect of persons that Ierusalem for their sakes should become an heape that Sion for their sakes should bee plowed as a field that the Temple in which they trusted should for their sakes be made like the high places of the forrest The summe or resultancy of all that hath beene said is this That as in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him So in whatsoever place or Nation bribery and oppression in the laiety mercenary temporizing in the clergy and hypocrisie in most sorts abound Gods fearefull iudgements still doe gather as they encrease and without repentant prayers and supplications are suddainly powred out like a thunder-showre But this thesis or Maior proposition will have the faithfull assent of all good Christians All the difficulty will bee in framing a Minor or assumption which shall runne parallell with this Maior That is to perswade the Magistracy the Gentry and Clergy of any state or kingdome that they are respectively as faulty as deeply guilty of these sinnes as men of their ranke and place were in the state of Iudah in Hezekiah's daies All that I have to say in this point for the present is to beseech Almighty God that every man amongst us whom it concerns and it more or lesse concernes all may enter into his owne heart and may unpartially examine and iudge himselfe that this land and people be never so iudged of the Lord as Micah had threatned Ierusalem and Iudah should be in the daies of good Hezekiah THE SECOND SERMON VPON IER 26. 19. AN hard taske it would bee to perswade the Magistracy the Gentry and Cleargy of any state or kingdome throughout Christendome that they are as deepely guilty of these sinnes as men of their place and ranke in Iudah were against whom Micah denounced that terrible judgement Against all that we can alleage to this purpose there is one generall exception alike common to all our hearers whom it concernes They must believe that the state of Iudah was deepely tainted with bribery corruption and oppression because the Prophet Micah hath said it But moderne preachers are no Prophets nor is all which they say to bee accounted any part either of Gods law or Gospell The exception indeed is thus farre pertinent that the same spirit of God which taught the Prophets to foresee evills to come or judgements approaching did likewise notifie unto them many matters of fact present or past which did provoke Gods judgements But of the like matters of their fact with their qualities such as are no Prophets can have no just notice can have no better knowledge of them then by here-say Now faith commeth not by here-say nor may the messenger of God so farre believe all that he heares though from many mouthes as to make it matter for the pulpit Yet one of these two we must believe we may be certaine of either that the Magistrates Nobles and Cleargy of this Realm are as faulty as men of their ranke and place in Iudah were in Micahs time or that the people of this kingdome are more malitious and slanderous at least more quarelous then the people of Iudah were If Vox populi were alwaies Vox Dei we might proceede with warrant of Gods word to make the same conclusion that Micah did to thunder
city of Ierusalem a curse to all the earth The Priests and Prophets contend that he was to be put to death and the people at the first concurre with them in this bloudy sentence but afterward comply with the Princes whose verdict was that he was not worthy to die because he had spoken to them in the name of the Lord their God And vpon this verdict the elders of the land giue judgment from a ruled case in the Prophet Micah who had spoken more terrible words against both citie and temple in more peremptory manner then Ieremy now had done and yet not therefore put to death but reverenced by Hezekiah as you haue it in the beginning of this 19. verse Did Hezekiah king of Iudah and all Iudah put Micah at all to death Did he not feare the Lord and besought the Lord Now if the solemne practise of so good a King as Hezekiah was could not moue them yet the happy successe of his practise should in reason allure them to deale more mildly with Ieremy then was intended by them For vpon Hezekia's prayers and repentance the Lord repented him of the euill which he had pronounced against Ierusalem and Sion and when they further adde thus might we procure great euill against our soules they imply thus much that if this present assembly doe not repent of their ill intentions against Ieremy the Lord would not repent of the euill which by his mouth he had pronounced against them The points which offer themselues to be discussed are but two The first in what sense God is said to repent The second in what case it is said that God will not repent or that he is not as man or the sonne of man that he should repent Deus tunc poenitere dicitur quando non facit aut quod minatur aut quod permittit God as some giue out who take vpon them to resolue this point is then said to repent when he doth not effect the evill which he threatneth or the good which he promiseth All this is true yet no true definition no iust expression of repentance either as it is applyable in Scripture to God or man Most true it is that whensoeuer God is said to repent it must be conceived that he did not effect either the euill which he threatned or the good which he promised But it is not reciprocally true that whensoeuer God doth not bring that euill of punishment to passe which he threatneth it is rightly said or conceiued that he did repent A loving father may sometimes threaten to chastise sometimes promise to reward the sonne whom he loveth best and yet not be truly thought to repent albeit he neither chastise nor reward him For hee may thus mingle threatnings with incouragements with purpose only to try his present disposition Thus we read that God who is a most loving father to mankind did command Abraham to sacrifice his only sonne Isaac whom he loved This was a threatning command at least in respect of Isaac Now albeit the Lord did withhold Abraham's hand from executing this command yet doe we not read nor is it to be conceived that God did repent of that which he gave Abraham in charge The reason is because he charged Abraham thus to doe not with purpose to have Isaac then presently sacrificed but only to try the sincerity and strength of Abrahams ' faith and obedience and by this triall to gaine his assent unto the offring up of the seed promised from the beginning of the world which was from this time irreversibly ordained to be the seed of Abraham For seeing God from the beginning had determined to give his only sonne for the redemption of man it was his good pleasure to confirme this promise by oath unto a man that was ready to offer up his only sonne in sacrifice unto God and Abraham from this very intended worke as S. Iames tels us was called the friend of God the promise made to our first parents was now accomplished by way of contract or covenant betwixt God and Abraham that the sonne of God and seed of Abraham should bee offred up in sacrifice for a blessing unto all the nations of the earth This being the end or purpose of God in commanding Abraham to sacrifice his only sonne Isaac in whom his seed was called there is no semblance of repentance in God although he did withhold Abraham's hand from doing that which he had commanded him to doe They therefore come neerer unto the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this particular expression who tell us that Deus tunc poenitere dicitur quando non facit quod facturus erat God is then said to repent when he doth not that which he was about to doe or that which hee intended or purposed to have done For without a revocation or reversing of somewhat seriously purposed or intended there can be no true notion of repentance whether in God in man or Angels And this notion or expression of repentance as it is attributed unto God in scripture we have expressely delivered by the Prophet Ieremy Chap 18. from v. 7. to the 11. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a Kingdome to plucke up and to pull downe and to destroy it If that nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them And at what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to build and to plant it if it doe evill in my sight that it obey not my voice then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them This generall to my observation was first drawne into a rule or doctrinall forme by the Prophet Ieremiah yet the truth of the former part of it was experienced long before in the men of Nineveh though contrary to the mind and expectation of the Prophet Ionas not out of a nescience of this rule or Gods usuall dealing with men but out of a particular dislike or discontent that the sentence which God had commanded him to pronounce should not be put in execution The sentence was yet 40 dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Ionas 3. v. 4. This solemne proclamation the Lord did dictate unto him as it is v. 2. Did the Lord thus speake to try the Ninevites disposition only had he no intention or thought as the Prophet Ieremy speakes to overthrow or destroy the citie Certainly the Ninevites did thinke he had and yet this their thought or opinion is commended unto us by the Holy Ghost under the stile or title of beliefe for so it is said v. 5. The people of Nineveh believed God Wherein did they believe in him or what did they believe of him Surely they believed in the first place that hee meant as he spake that he had a purpose or intention to destroy them They knew their sinnes had deserved no lesse and they believed that God
of the Gospell for this solemnity But my text doth not draw mee to a new argument My former argument as yee may remember was concerning the signes of the time And here yee may behold signes of the time in the frontispice of my text There shall bee signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Vpon the earth and in the waters that is in every part of this great and visible booke of the creature But of what or of what times were these signes here foretold To the former part of this question our Evangelist hath made a full answer v. 27 These were signes of the sonne of man's comming to judgement with power and great glory By the sonne of man yee know is meant our Lord and Saviour Christ and his comming was expected by this people one and other Iohn Baptist knew this to be the title of the Messias and out of this Notion or description of his person and office hee being in prison sent two of his disciples unto him with this Embassage Luk 7. v. 19. Art thou hee that should come or are wee to looke for another And from this Embassage of Iohn the next Dominicall or Lords day takes its denomination or right to be enrolled amongst the Dominicalls consecrated to the memory of his comming The Pharisees likewise knew this title of him that was to come to belong unto Christ or unto the great Prophet which God had promised to raise up unto them like to Moses And out of this notion they propound this interrogatory unto Iohn Iohn 1. 21. Art thou Elias art thou that Prophet and againe v. 25. Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that Prophet And from Iohn's answer to these interrogatories v. 26. 27. I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom yee know not hee it is who comming after mee is preferred before me The fourth and last Dominicall takes its denomination or right to bee enrolled amongst the dayes consecrated to the memory of his comming The Dominicall or Lords day last past takes its denomination from the Gospell appointed for that day Behold o Sion thy King commeth c. So doth this present day or second sunday in Advent take this title from that clause of the Gospell v. 27. And then they shall see the sonne of man comming in a cloud Now the comming of Christ the sonne of man and the sonne of God admits in the generall two degrees The first his comming in humility to visit and redeeme the world The second his comming in power and glory to judge the world The Gospells appointed by the Church for the three other Dominicalls or Lords dayes in Advent referre to the first manner of his comming to wit in humility to visit and redeeme his people The Gospell appointed for this present day points at his comming in power and glory to judge the world The question then is whether this prophecy hath beene in any sort already fulfil'd or in what sort it shall bee hereafter fulfil'd or accomplished or if this prophecy were twice to be fulfil'd the question is whether these signes here mentioned in my text doe concerne as well the last fulfilling of it as the first That this prophecy hath been already litterally fulfil'd is cleere from the 21. and 32. verses of this Chapter Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe till all be fulfil'd All what All that he had said concerning the signes of the time so S. Matthew expresseth our Saviour's meaning more fully then S. Luke doth Math. 24. v. 34. Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe till all these things be fulfilled that is till the terrors of those times wherof he speakes untill the signes of these times in the sunne in the moone and in the starres should bee exhibited For by this generation hee comprehends that present age or compasse of an hundred yeares taking their beginning either from the time wherein hee uttered this prophecy or from the birth of these his Auditors the greater part whereof were betwixt twenty and fifty yeares and but a few of them to live above fifty yeares after this forewarning so that this age or generation whereof hee speakes was to determine with the life 's of these Auditors though many of them did not yet some of them did and more might have outliv'd these signes here foretold For these signes were to bee exhibited unto the Nations not long after the desolation of Ierusalem as S. Marke tels us Chap. 15. v. 24. But in those dayes after that tribulation the sunne shall bee darkned and the moone shall not give her light and the starres of heaven shall fall and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken Or least any man should except that the sun might bee darkned after the dayes of Ierusalem's tribulation and sorrow and yet not bee so darkned till the last day S. Matthew hath put in a caveat against this exception Mat. 24. 29. Immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sunne be darkned the moone shall not give her light So that if we can point out the time wherein all that our Saviour said concerning the tribulation of Ierusalem and Iury were fulfilled wee may easily finde out the appointed time wherein the signes in my text were to bee exhibited That which must direct us in the right search of the tribulations precedent to his comming here litterally meant is our Saviour's censure upon his Disciples admiration at the goodly buildings of the Temple As he went out saith S. Matthew 24. 1. and departed from the Temple his Disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of the Temple S. Marke tels us Chap. 13. 1. that one of his Disciples saith unto him master see what manner of stones and what buildings are here And because this one Disciple is not named S. Matthew indefinitely saith his Disciples came unto him A strange humour in them were they one or more for how could they imagine that hee had not observed the goodlinesse of these buildings before But upon what occasion soever they or he one or more of them did move him to view the buildings his reply unto this motion was unexpected For hee saith unto them see you not all these things Verily I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not bee throwne downe Mat. 24. 2. Mark 13. 2. Luk. 21. 6. And thus much he had told them with weeping eyes before Luk. 19. 44. But it seemes they were at better leasure to hearken unto this second prediction of the Temples destruction than they were before when their eares were filled with the joyfull shouts of Hosanna blessed bee hee that cometh in the name of the Lord. And hence as he sate upon the mount of Olives over against the Temple Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew asked him privately tell us when shall these things bee and
grand-child to this Manasses as good a King as could be wished for a man that needed no reformation a fit patterne for reforming others But this heavenly starre was placed in an earthly sphere hee had to deale with such a lewd court and naughty people as choaked the influence of his goodnesse And albeit his personall performances in his attempted reformation were no way inferior to Hezekiah's practice in this place yet neither his performances nor prayers found the like successe He could not plant the feare of the Lord either in his people or in his owne childrens hearts And if we sequester Iosiah his attempt of reformation from Hezekiah his time unto the destruction of the City and Temple there was sometimes on the Princes part sometimes on the peoples part usually on all parts Prince and people if not a continuall increase of sinne yet a continuance in usuall and wonted sinnes And where Gods Iudgements have once seized upon a land or people there is no removall of them without publique repentance no true repentance without prayer no prayers effectuall without feare of the Lord. Did hee not feare the Lord and befought the Lord c. His prayers were earnest and effectuall because his feare was hearty and unfained not affected But how feare should performe the office either of mother or mid-wife for the bringing forth of succesfull prayers is a Quaere not to be omitted and was the second generall proposed Pray we may but our prayers cannot bee successefull unlesse they be conceived in faith And faith as our Apostle tels us Heb. 11. 1. is the ground or substance of things hoped for And what affinity is there what agreement can there be between feare hope or confidence which is if not the nature yet the native issue of faith From these words of the Apostle faith is the ground of things hoped for haply it was that some late writers have put fiducia or confidence in the very definition of faith But wee are to consider that the former words of our Apostle containe rather a character then a iust description or definition of faith Otherwise his words following had beene superfluous faith is the evidence of things not seene And under this more generall character things feared may be as directly conteined as things hoped for But have we any Scripture to warrant us that faith in some cases may be as truely the ground of things feared as of things hoped for Yes By faith saith the Apotle Heb. 11. 7. Noah being warned of God of things not seene as yet mooved with feare prepared an Arke for the saving of his house Or if we consider faith not in it's universality as it equally respects the whole word of God but as it hath a peculiar reference unto his covenant with this people that wee know was not a covenant of life only but a covenant of life and death And all the writings of the Prophets which were to them and are to us the truest leaders and guides unto faith are as full of threatnings as of promises their sweetest hymnes are composed as well of iudgement as of mercy So that faith if it be not lame or defective hath two hands aswell a left hand to apprehend the truth of Gods iudgements threatned whilst we swarve from the waies of life as a right hand to lay hold on the truth of his promises whilst we are not conscious of such deviation Feare then which is no other then an expectation or apprehension of evill is the left hand of faith and hope which is the expectation or apprehension of good is the right And they who place the nature of faith in fiducia or cōfine it unto confidence do utterly maime it on the left side being maimed or dead on the left side it cannot be sound or lively on the right That which they terme fiducia or confidence in Gods promises if it be not supported with an implanted feare of his iudgements threatned is in true language but presumption It cannot bring forth the prayers of faith For prayers made in faith presuppose and include a sincere renouncing or relinquishing of those desires or practises which by nature or course of Gods Iustice are either incompatible with the blessings which we pray or hope for or are the causes of the evils threatned or inflicted He that will offer the sacrifice of prayer unto God for his health must abandon all excesse and riot otherwise he doth but mocke God And he that supplicates for the forgivenes of his sinnes must be prepared in heart to forgive such as have sinned or trespassed against him 'T is our Saviours owne comment upon the prayer which hee hath taught us And hence the heathen Cynick did justly deride such supplicants and sacrificers as continued in riot whilst they tendered their prayers and sacrifices to intreat Gods favour towards themselves for health Whilst we retaine malitious or revengefull purposes towards our neighbours it is to put in a caveat against our owne suits or petitions in the court of heaven Now unto this qualification or preparative unto prayer which consists in the abandoning of those practises or resolutions which stand as a barre or caveat against our petitions and supplications there is no meanes so effectuall no method so compendious as hearty and unfeined feare of Gods iudgements It is the very arme or hand of faith for remooving all such obstacles For feare as wee said before is the expectation of evill approaching And the apprehension of any remedilesse mischiefe of any greater inconvenience or inestimable evill will oversway the hope or expectation of any inferiour good be it matter of pleasure or commodity by which two matters onely we are withdrawne from goodnesse it selfe And if any man bee altogether wedded unto temporary delights or contentments it is for want of feare In the beginning of a storme the Merchant or passenger will be unwilling to cast any part especially of his most pretious commodities over board but in case stormes increase to his sight or observation if then the Pilot or Mariner can perswade him that the ship wherein he sailes unlesse it be speedily disburthened will shortly sinke the certaine feare of loosing all will moove him to part with one halfe or instant dread of loosing his owne life will make him willing if need so require to part with all The griping Vsurer will be ready to release the unconscionable interest covenanted for if the Lawyer in whom he trusts can perswade him that by rigorous exaction of the use he may come to loose the principall or to incurre a censure from which both use and principall will not free him The case of Iudah in this extremity was the very same if we compare the iudgements threatned by Micah with the nature and quality of the sinnes that had provoked them as you may finde in the Prophet Micah 3. 9. They build up Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity The heads thereof judge for