him Oh how will Conscience fly on thy face and check thy Soul Remember when you were in distress before thou didst cry to God and he delivered thee but thou never didst love him the more serve him the better for it Then wilt thou imagine with thy self Oh how can I go to God again How can I think he will try me with further Mercies who have been so unfaithful under those I received How can I expect he will be prevail'd with to prolong my Life when I have heapt up provocations after his former prolongations of it Oh what heart-faintings and failings will a sense of despised Mercy produce What a Hell of Misery will this be to all thy Torments that thou durst not approach to God Will not inward troubles be a dreadful increase of distress in times of Judgment And what inward trouble more heavy than this to finde our hearts condemning of us and to be clogg'd with the sense of abused Mercies Wilt thou not fear God will tell thee thy Prayer is an abomination Wilt not dread lest he say as Iephthah to the Elders of Gilead after they had expell'd him Judg. 11.7 Are ye now come unto me when ye are in distress What are you so impudent after all your unkindness to me to seek kindness from me What do ye think I will shelter such enemies as you Will not God say thus to us when fleeing to him in distress What do ye that have forsaken me so long flee to me now Do ye that despised my former Deliverance come to me for another Will not God say Be gone I 'll admit you no more I 'll hearken neither to your Prayers nor Promises And then we may cry out as Salv. Quid dignius quid justius non audivimus non audimur non respeximus non respicimur What more merited what more just We have not heard God and we are not heard we have not regarded and we are not regarded What confusion will this fill our faces withal What a Calamity will this be to all our Misery Oh take heed then of incurring any further displeasure from God by abusing deliverance lest when renewed dangers come upon you thy mouth should be stopt thy confidence dampt and thy conscience thus checking of thee But put Iniquity far from thee and then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot then shalt thou have access to the Lord in thy troubles and if destruction should come thou maist cry for deliverance and have gracious returns Destruction for sinning under these circumstances will be aggravated by that pitiless frame that shall be not only in God but in man to those that are involv'd in such deserved destruction God will not pity but be strangely hard-hearted to such hardened Sinners Misery calls for pity but there can be no pity where there is no mercy or where Mercy is disengaged Ezech. 5.11 Neither shall my eye spare neither will I have pity He laid aside his tender compassions his bowels of mercy were shut up and now he hath no tender affections to them Thus men also that may be preserved from our calamities will have just cause to be pitiless to us It was said of Vitellius when going to Execution with his Hands bound divested on Robes that men had no pity of him Nam deformitas vitae misericordiam abstulerat Tacitus The impiety of his Life had taken away mens pity for his Death Will not our sinning after Deliverance give such cause of abstaining from pitying of us Will not men say They deserve to be miserable that will not desist from being sinful Oh dreadful aggravation of misery to have all bowels shut against us Extrema est miseria cùm nemo miseri vices dolet 'T is extreme misery the height of distress when we are not only destitute of Help but destitute of Pity Jer. 22.18 Shall not say Ah my brother or ah my sister They â—hall not lament for him saying Ah Lord â—â— ah his glory I shall now endeavour to make some particular Vses of what hath been spoken Vses from the 1. Propos. Vse I. Is it the great designe of God in delivering a people from imminent dangers to oblige them to break off sin Let then the remarkable Deliverance that the Almighty God in abounding goodness hath lately bestowed upon us effect this blessed change in our lives and conversations With what face can we trample on the just and sacred Commands of our merciful God whilst he smiles upon us with such unmerited favours Can our Hearts be so damnably obdurate so insensibly hardned as not to be melted by such an unexpected Deliverance as this Should we again break his Commandments What pretence can favour such Impieties What profession can cloak such Wickedness What Allurements can entice us against Conscience Reason and Religion to obviate and oppose the righteous requests and demands of such a patient God Should we again return to our Flesh-pleasing security in sin the Fountain and Spring of our greatest misery What but our belluine and besotting stupidity involved us in our direful dangers and shall we return to our former posture not regarding the rousing alarums the late discoveries of misery have sounded to us nor minding the awakening calls to prepare for Judgments or turn from the Impieties that deserve them Would not this be an unpardonable crime and a means most infallibly to ruine us Should we again dishonour this delivering God by profane licentious courses filling our Land with the hateful noise of our crying Iniquities when God hath fill'd it with the blessed sounds of unspeakable Mercies What an unworthy ungrateful unanswerable carriage would this be deem'd by all that bear the title of Christians Would Heathens offer to do such things to their feigned Gods or offer such affronts unto them could they but do such favours for them And shall we to affront the Majesty of Heaven belch out abominable Oaths and account them as pleasing Ornaments of Language Shall we shew our despite to our God by blasphemous Expressions against inviolable Truths concerning the nature and being of God Shall we to express how little we value his kindness provoke the eyes of his Glory by Noon-day Drunkenness Rioting and Debaucheries Shall we witness a cursed contemning of him by impudent profanations of his holy Sabbaths as before we have done Shall not his Kindness courting us to amendment prevail Shall not his Goodness endeavouring our betterment operate upon us Is it not impossible to be so wicked after such wonderful expressions of Love Should we again with greedy minds pursue the perishing enjoyments of this alluring world neglecting the profitable exercises of Religion and required Devotion Did the Almighty prolong our expiring Lives to spend them thus With what conscience can we allow our selves those large dispensations from holy Duties for the sake of our worldly employments after we are purposely deliver'd to augment and increase our deserved Obedience Will not our days be yet shortned if we
little by the greatest Mercies the sense of which caused a holy man to pray Domine da Gratitudinem cum Misericordiâ nolo Misericordiam sine Gratitudine Oh Lord give me a thankful heart with thy Mercies Lord I desire not Mercies without a grateful heart to improve them And we shall finde it true that Mercy unregarded Deliverance not improved will render our condition more desperate and dangerous and our end more miserable But Oh! How much is it to be lamented that a Vertue so applauded for surpassing excellency a Duty enjoyned with such indispensable Necessity is so much unseen in all and unpractised by most How are the Mites of Mens Bounty more regarded than the Mountains of Gods Mercy Of the Ten Lepers that our Saviour healed but one returned to glorifie God Luke 17.17 18. How few of a whole Nation delivered from the barbarous hands of bloody-minded men from the complicated Contrivances of Romish Agents have returned deserved Praises to our blest Redeemer How are both private and publick Mercies buried in the Grave of Unthankfulness which is the reason of that Unprofitableness which lays us under the greatest Curse Yet an Ungrateful temper is extremely odious in the thoughts of all men It receives a black doom even from such as may justly be condemned for it Ingratitude is that sin which Lycurgus a Heathen-Lawgiver accounted so prodigious in humane and abominable that he thought it was so impossible for reasonable men to be guilty of it that it would be superfluous to enact a Law to condemn it And 't is reported of the Egyptians that those among them that wanted Humanity to return Kindness to Benefactors underwent no lesser Penalty than to be disabled from having a Posterity to survive them that the world might not be pester'd with an ungrateful Progeny But if the contempt of humane kindnesses gives such offence to mortal men and receives such Punishments What punishment doth it merit what hatred doth it deserve when the guilt is infinitely raised by the consideration of that infinite Glory that is affronted by it The just Threats of the Eternal God against such Offenders express its provoking nature Deut. 8.19 If ye at all forget the Lord I testifie against you ye shall surely perish If such Severity be to those that at all forget what will be the portion of such as altogether forget the Mercies of God But oh which of us hath not suffered Divine Favours to slip out of our minds What less in our thoughts than how much God hath done for us Will not Vengeance fall upon us with a witness if we proceed in such ungrateful courses Now therefore to use the words of Jude I will put you in remembrance how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterwards destroyed them that believed not Iude 5. Such will be the portion of all those we may fear who will neither love nor obey the Lord after all the great things He hath done for us but accounting them small things deny those respects they ought to shew to him that did them Who is wise in Counsel and excellent in working But shall we be worse than the Ox or Ass that know their Masters and serve them Shall we be more ungrateful to God than we are to Men The People of Israel told Gideon Iudg. 8.22 Thou shalt rule over us seeing thou hast delivered us from the hands of the Midianites Shall we not say to God O Lord since in thy infinite Mercy thou hast delivered us from the hands of our enemies we will now submit unto thee and thou shalt rule over us Oh how pleasing would this be to God How happy should we be under such acknowledgments of God's Deliverances But to persist in sin is very unreasonable Mic. 6.3 Oh my people testifie against me What have I done to thee vers 4. I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants c. Oh my people says God remember what great Deliverances I have wrought what Miracles my arm hath performed for you and will ye sin after all this Oh England Remember what God hath done what Deliverance from a heathenish condition what an escape from Popish darkness what Redemptions from Romish Conspiracies God hath bestowed and then let Conscience speak whether you do well or no to sin against such a God as this This will never be tolerated long by a Holy God This will make him say as Ezek. 21.3 Behold I am against thee and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked The Sword of Iustice sheathed by Divine Patience will be drawn out to avenge the abuse of Mercies Will not contempt of Goodness bring the fulfilling of that Threat upon us Ezek. 44.25 I will not watch over you for good but for harm Providence hath hitherto been watchful over us to secure us from ruine but miserable shall we be when God shall watch opportunities to ruine and destroy us Now I must tell you whatever our apprehensions of things may be there is nothing will prevent our destruction after Deliverance but a serious Repentance and hearty Reformation 'T is not our Policy or Power 't is not our Courage or Undauntedness can possibly secure us but except we repent we shall surely perish Our Profession and Priviledges are insufficient to give us safety Jerusalem the holy City is now a ruinaâ—ted heap a place of strength so that the Kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the enemy and adversary should enter its gates Lam. 4.12 and yet it is made a perpetual desolation by the fire of God's wrath kindled against it Neither may the Greatest in our Land if living in sin think to escape by or in wickedness The hand of God will finde out his enemy though never so potent though guarded with all humane securities And certainly if God shall at last for our sins suffer our enemies to prevail Prince and Peasant shall suffer alike Royal as base blood will be a Drink-offering And if in Policy they spare a while yet in Cruelty they will slay at last The dainty Dish is reserv'd for last The best blood and the best wine are brought forth at last the courser blood runs out before that pure blood that flows from the heart is drawn forth Let none therefore flatter themselves in sin because exalted to eminent degrees of Honour in a sinful Land But if in sincerity we turn from our sins the Lord shall be our Security and appoint Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks This shall be a sign we shall still escape when we shall be mourning for and leaving off those sins that have brought us into danger Ezra 7.16 Those that have escaped shall escape for they shall be on the Mountains as Doves in the Valleys mourning every one for their own Iniquity Were
men are conceiving the bitterness of death is past they little mind to reform the baseness of their lives They care not how little they live to God when they presume they shall live long Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in themselves to do evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. roboratur their hearts are strengthened emboldned in them to go on in evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Because of this delaying judgments they go on with a full confidence they sin with courage This is as wind to their sayls that drives them on briskly in sinful courses With this did the wicked Jews under Divine comminations hearten themselves in their ways Ezek. 11.3 saying It is not near Gods abstinence from judgments was made an encouragement for continuance in sin So Ezek. 12.21 22. The days are prolonged Carnal persons are willing to go on in sin as long as they can and when dangers are a little gone off they more boldly go on in desperate sinning 5. This proneness to sin after such mercy arises from flattering expectations that in renewed returns of Distress they shall ever meet with the same deliverance How do men argue from their present safety to their future security How fondly do men conceive that God will be ever merciful because of his present mercies Did men wisely consider after deliverance how soon they may stand in need of the same helping arm how soon they may want the same mercy they could not be so audacious as to slight and contemn it left the next time they be deprived of it Gods present deliverances are evidences of his power to deliver us again but not assurances of his Will to do it 'T is a groundless Supposition men go upon who think Mercies are entail'd upon them and inseparably annexed to them We shall experience if we do not leave off sinning God can leave off delivering If we can still forsake God he can at last forsake us 6. We are thus inclined to sin against God after deliverance as we being delivered our hearts are brought off from their dependance on God and we are magnifying our selves instead of God When God hath given us our precious lives from the hands of devouring Enemies we imagine we can live of our selves and thence are regardless of living to God Hos. 13.6 They were filled and their heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me Their outward fruitfulness caused their sinful forgetfulness Our hearts are apt to be set upon enjoyments and not on the God that gives them Hos. 4.11 Whoredome and wine take away the heart The Hebr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies auferre to take away by force so did those things take away their heart from God by force or occupare to occupy They occupy and take up that room in the heart God should have Thus we having worldly enjoyments continued by deliverances our hearts are detained by them that we mind not God care not how we go on in sin against him mind not how little obedience we yield to him as if we could live well enough without him 7. This proceeding in sin is partly caused by persons apprehending themselves to be innocent and their courses to be harmless from the deliverances God gives to them Carnal persons are apt to reckon their ways to be lawful because they are spared and unpunished in them Hos. 12.8 Ephraim said I am become rich I have found me out riches in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me that were sin As much as to say Were my courses unrighteous they would not be prosperous whatever the Prophets charge me with it appears by the dealings of God with me that my doings are good if I were so sinful I should not be succesful Thus corrupted persons will vainly argue from Gods delivering were I so wicked were my actions so displeasing God would not have spared me but delivered me to destruction But oh how vain are these reasonings God bears with long-suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction out of his mercy he gives a space to repent of thy sins And who so wicked to conclude that because God exercises patience therefore they are no offenders This is a sign of Gods goodness but not of thine PROPOSITION 3. Sinning after Deliverance is the most hainous sinning It renders sin exceeding great to commit it after great mercies It is a great sin to count any sin small that is committed against a great God yet sin hath its aggravations and admits of degrees according to the circumstances under which 't is committed There are two things which render a sin most abominable when sin is committed against light and against love They are no little nor light sins that are aggravated with convictions by light nor are sins against love of an inferiour nature nothing more intolerable to Man or God than to have ill will for good deeds 'T is sinful to render evil for evil to man much more to render evil for good to God What more provoking sight can be beheld than a man impudent in evil under judgment and barren in good under mercies Affronts to love are more unsufferable than Rebellion under displays of wrath The highest unkindness is the highest sinfulness The sin of David is aggravated by the recording Gods kindness to him 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy masters house And if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore then hast thou despised the command of the Lord to do this evil in his sight To sin in the face of God when smiling upon us with unmerited mercy is one of the greatest contempts can be cast upon God To manifest our sinfulness when we enjoy the greatest testimonies of goodness is the height of madness To withdraw our necks from an uneasie galling yoak to rebel under the severities of a cruel Tyrant to cast off the service of an imperious Master may admit some excuse but to wax wanton under mercies to despise the clemency of Heaven to deny obedience to a loving Father is an offence indefendible a crime unpardonable When God would lay a people under a conviction of the hainousness of their crimes he repeats his gracious dealings to them Ierem. 2.20 Of old time I have broken thy yoke i.e. When thou wert in Egyptian bondage under intolerable slavery I set thee free And thou saidst thou wouldst not transgress yet thou hast slighted my favours and broken thy vows and under every green tree thou wandrest playing the harlot And v. 22. this is noted for an indelible sin such sins as these are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not written but engraven they are of the deepest die and most permanent stain Hos. 7.15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms yet do they imagine mischief against me It hath an
prevail upon us to reform us will not mercy cease pleading for us will it not say as Christ Iohn 17.9 I pray not for them I will put in no more intreaties for their salvation Justice take them destroy them ruine them I have nothing to plead for them How often doth mercy plead as the merciful Vine-dresser did for the cumber-ground fig-tree Luke 13.7 8. Lord let it alone this year also let not thy wrath yet break out let not thy fury ruine them but spare them this time try what they will do with one deliverance more but when nothing is successful mercy gives over and what but intolerable vengeance will then lye upon us But who can speak the dread of destruction that unmixed anger involves a people in How dreadful will it be to fall into the hands of God when armed with nothing but destroying indignation How can our hearts endure or our hands be strong when all the Attributes of his glorious Majesty shall conspire together to make us miserable When infinite wisdom shall be exercised in contriving and infinite power shall be engaged in executing the miserable destruction of a sinful people it must needs be intolerable Here I shall take occasion to shew you the misery of a people when mercy is dis-engaged from relieving of them that so we may be fearful of depriving our selves of that blessed succour we have hitherto enjoyed by it 1. Mercy dis-engaged all miseries endured are pure wrath Such miseries are much of the nature of the Torments of the damned in Hell whose plagues are a cup of vengeance without mixture The happiness of Saints in all their sufferings consists in enjoying ingredients of love in the bitterest cup that is mixed out to them when outward distresses are most unpleasing to sense they refresh themselves with delightful objects then visible to the eye of faith Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my Soul But mercie dis-engag'd there is no cordial to support us no sugar to sweeten the bitterest cup enforced upon us Ezek. 7.5 Behold an evil an onely evil cometh God never sends judgments alone to such as he favours but designing the utter destruction of a people he mixes a potion of onely fatal poysons for them then he sends an onely evil 2. Mercy being dis-engaged the lowdest cries and most importunate prayers that a people can put up will be denyed and rejected God will admit no Prayers from such as contemned his former returns of them The ears of justice will only hear the cries of our sins to avenge them 't is mercy hears the voice of our prayers to answer them or all the answer we shall have will be by terrible things in righteousness But mercy dis-engaged we are deprived of that unspeakable privliedge of Audience with God and then we may swelter in our miseries roll in our blood despair in our torments without a redress Should we by our impudent continuance in sin make mercy our enemy our most urgent cries would prove unsuccesful and though joyned with floods of tears would be unprofitable for this will bring us under the doom of those Zech. 7.13 Because when I called you would not hearken therefore also when you cry unto me I will not hear How just a retaliation was this from God although a most dreadful affliction not to have the merciful ear of God in affliction is the worst of afflictions It is dismal now to find our hearts so strangely shut up as not be able to pour out prayers but how miserable then shall we be if when involved in sinking troubles God should shut out our prayers not be prevailed with by them Oh ruining state when we in distress shall be crying Save Lord or we perish and then receive no other return but Perish you may and perish you shall for all the help you shall have from me These sins so much overcome his mercy that our prayers will never overcome his anger And as it is an argument of the greatest sinfulness in man not to pray so of the greatest anger in God not to hear prayers These iniquities are so intolerable a slighting of him that he will unmercifully slight all we do Oh what will become of a Nation when that key which was wont to unlock the Treasuries of bounty the store-house of blessings can do nothing when that Embassador that was wont to prevail for a gracious Treaty shall be denyed when that successful friend shall be denyed admittance to the Court of Heaven when that omnipotent engine can attract no compassions Whither now shall we go when access is denyed to God where shall we have supplies if our former store-house be shut up whither can we turn when he turneth away our prayers Will not our furious enemies prevail over us when our most fervent prayers cannot prevail with God What a shaking commination was that Ier. 11.11 I will bring an evil upon them they shall not escape and though they cry I will not hearken God will take no notice of their cries who would take no notice of his kindness What can be said worse to a people than this I will not hear If he will not hear he will not help if he gives no audience he will give no assistance This speaks the sum of all evils in one The root of all miseries lyes here in Gods not hearing This effectually seals men up for destruction Ezech. 8.18 I will deal with them in my fury and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice I will not hear As lazy prayers will not prevail now so the loudest Prayer shall not prevail then Thou maist then spend thy breath that now thou spendest worse and not speed Thou maist stretch out thy hands and yet receive nothing but disengaging Mercy may suffer like those Isai. 1. When ye stretch out your hands I will hide my eyes and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear Audire Dei est concedere i. e. I will not grant what you ask In the days of my Grace ye might have prevail'd and did not pray or did it formally and now in the day of my fury ye may pray but shall not prevail Neither can the Prayers of the greatest Favourites in the Court of Heaven prevail for a people under such circumstances Should the dearest Servants plead with greatest fervency they must be denied when Mercy is disengaged Ier. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me my heart could not be towards this people Standing is the Posture of Praying Though these should endeavour to draw out my Affections to them by their importunate cries yet they should never gain my heart I cannot love them I cannot yield it to them Tantum mediocriter malis ob pios interdum parcitur non ita contumaciter flagitiosis God only spares those that are indifferently wicked for the sake of the godly not those that are obstinately flagitious and ungodly Ezech. 14. Though Noah Daniel
this Deliverance by the nearness of the Destruction it was in articulo mortis all was almost concluded our Passing-bell rung the day was presum'd to be their own and now delivered as Daniel è faucibus perditionis from the very jaws of Destruction from the very mouths of our Enemies Oh wonderful goodness And most fitly might I mention the means of our Deliverance Vna eadémque manus vulnus opémque feret How did this sweetest Honey come from the Lions carcass Men of their own Party must impart it to us those of their own Conclave are means under God to deliver us from their own Counsels Oh the wonderful Authority of God that wrought on their Consciences so long benum'd Oh the Wisdom of God that works by contrary means No Violence constrained them but what the Almighty used with them no Policy induced them so much as Divine Power Vse 2. Is it the designe of God in delivering to reduce from sin and oblige to Holiness Let us then examine our selves whether we have answer'd these holy designs of our gracious God Oh Reader faithfully ask thine own heart Have I not been as loose and profane as vile and vain as carnal and formal as ever I was before What inducement hath this gracious preservation been to the reformation of my Life What Sin have I faithfully forsaken what displeasing Lust have I unfeignedly left what spiritual Obedience have I closed withal since I enjoyed this unspeakable Mercy Doth not thy Conscience accuse thee of thy regardlesness of it Doth not thy heart smite thee for not observing the Duties thou art oblig'd to by it Abasuerus would know what was done to Mordecai for the good deed he had done for the Kingdom Ask thy self What good hath been done to God for all the good deeds he hath done for thee What hath been done to him for his delivering of thee Hast thou not sinned the more against him and turn'd his Grace into wantonness Is that a meet requital for his kindness Are Pride Drunkenness Sensuality fit Votive Tables for our merciful escapes Oh let not this Mercy be lost for want of improvement lest you never enjoy such another Remember exoneratio supplicii est oneratio officii the laying off and freeing thee from punishment lays obligations upon thee for dutiful Obedience Mercies are to be like showers on Valleys making them fruitful as a grain of corn sown in the tilled earth bringing forth a plentiful crop of expected fruit God hath sown the seeds of his Mercies let not the Devil reap a crop of Sin Oh how might I plead with you as loving Ionathan with hard-hearted Saul 1 Sam. 19.4 Let not the King sin against David for he hath not sinned against thee and because his works are good Oh let not us sin against God let us not rebel against him he never dealt unjustly with us but his deeds are good He is ever working for us He is ever heaping up Mercies shall we sin against him It will be better not to receive a Mercy than not to be better'd by it Oh come now and consider with your selves say with thy self Hath God in his Providence made me a freeman from Popish Slavery and shall I make my self a Slave to Lusts and a Vassal to the Devil Shall God continue my Life and shall I cast it away as worth nothing Oh examine your selves how you have acted Plato seeing any disorderly would say Num ego talis Am I such an one Thou seest many go on in sin ask thy self Am not I such an one Do not I go on in sin What a folly is it in us that we utimur perspicillis plusquam speculis use spectables to see other faults more than looking-glasses to see our own Learn the Art of Self-reflection and that is the way to Self-reformation Vse 3. Is it Gods design and desire to reduce us from sin by these merciful methods Then let us not foolishly cause the Lord to use more forcible and fearful means to effect this in us Let us not force a gracious God out of his delightful ways of Mercy Why should we make him be doing his works of Judgment since he declares his unwillingness to it Shall we turn his Scepter into a Rod Shall we drive away those precious Mercies by sinful courses which with mournful hearts and wringing hands we shall be glad to be recalling Shall we make our Showers of Mercy end in Flouds of Vengeance Shall we wrest the Sword of Justice out of the Sheath of Patience and violently pull down Vengeance on our own heads Will you tell the Lord you are weary of his Mercies and will never regard them Will you declare in the presence of God that if he will not powre out his Vengeance and display his Justice and make your Plagues wonderful that you will not fear him nor break off sins Is your strength so great to stand before his Anger that you are resolute in provoking of him Will nothing serve your turn but destruction and desolation and undoing judgements You must either cease sinning or God will cease waiting and give over favouring of you God speaks Ezech. 6.9 how the Jews had broken him with their whorish heart that is he tells them they should remember Eum quasi objecta quadam violentiâ à proposite abductum invitum planè adductum essë eorum persidia ut interrumperetur cursus misericordiae Calv. That he was turn'd from his gracious purposes with the violence their sins offered to him and that it was by their perfidiousness he was brought to break off the course of his mercies Thus God is broken off from ways of mercy by our not breaking off our ways of sin The holy God is resolv'd to make us leave off sinning one way or other if his goodness cannot gain us if his mercies cannot induce us his justice will come out against us and by his mighty power he will rule us Ezek. 20.33 As I live saith the Lord surely with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arm and with fury poured out will I rule over you God will bring us into subjection by mercies or judgments his fury shall do that his favour will not But why should we cause the Lord to be so severe unto us we weary man but will ye weary God also Let us be constrained to amendment by his love or else he must curb us by tormenting punishments It was said of Israel Psal. 81.11 Israel would have none of me Shall it be so said of England that we refus'd and slighted what God gives and what he doth in way of mercy Shall it be said we will have none of his mercies none of his deliverances shall we not then have his judgments and feel his vengeance Vse 4. Is this the designe of God in delivering then wisely make use of this as an Argument to invalidate all future temptations to sin When sinful occasions offer themselves unto you damp the hurtful influence of
them by objecting to thy self the unreasonableness of sinning after such mercies confer'd upon thee Thus Ioseph did invalidate the eager assaults of his wicked Mistriss Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God He did not rashly admit the temptation but consulted Conscience and repel'd it with this weighty Argument How can I sin against a God that hath of late been so favourable to me hath delivered me from death and advanced me to honour Oh I cannot slight so much kindness to please a sinful humour I will never do it When then thou meetest with allurements to sin take to thy self this corroborating disswasive from it and couragiously oppose all unworthy motions to Rebellion by pondering on it Inferences from the second Proposition concerning our proneness to sin after Deliverances 1. Hence we see the absolute Necessity that there is of Divine Power to render any means effectual to bring us from sin However probable means may be to effect this end they are not powerful enough without the cooperation of an Almighty arm superadded to them If rational Arguments were sufficient such as are drawn from infinite Mercy might be enough to charm our Wills to a loyal Obedience to our God but we see that outward Mercies not conferring inward Grace cannot accomplish such difficult work The chiefest engine that draws the heart of man from sin is Mercy but 't is the arm of God must fasten it to the heart of man and Divine Power that can only attract him by it Mercies are only cords which Divine Power uses to draw men from sin If Moral Perswasions were so wonderfully effectual in converting Sinners as some would have them it is strange men cannot overcome themselves to forsake their sins by the consideration of the merciful Preservations and gracious Deliverances the Almighty bestows upon them Strange it is men cannot be perswaded to cease provoking God to Judgements by the declaring his unwillingness to them by the experiences of deliverances from them But how do we experience the ineffectualness of outward Mercies whatever valid motives may be drawn from them What need then is there to apply our selves most frequently to the Throne of Grace for heavenly Influences on earthly Blessings How should we earnestly crave the concurrence of God's Omnipotency for the bettering of us by the confluence of Mercies bestowed upon us Isai. 48.17 The Lord teaches to profit In the greatest abundance of Means and Mercies we shall have no profit without the aids and assistance of God He must teach us to improve Deliverances to gain by his Goodness When cords of Mercy are put into our hands let us lift up out hearts to the Father of Mercies and cry Draw us and we will follow thee When Mercies are sown like precious seeds most plentifully amongst us let us implore the showers of Divine Blessing to make us fruitful by them When such invaluable Talents are put into our hands let us seek to the Almighty for strength to work with them Plead with the Lord to deliver thee from sin by his Deliverances to give thee the incomes of his Grace to improve thy Life miraculously continued to thee Leave not the Throne of Grace till Grace is given thee to leave thy sins Cease not to importune the Almighties help against thy sins till he hath delivered thee from them as he hath done from thine enemies Acknowledge thine own weakness and so thou wilt engage the strength of God Tell him with holy boldness that now he hath given thee his Mercies thou canst not be content without his Blessing with them Let temporal Deliverance edge thy appetite after spiritual and eternal Thou hast but half a Mercy till thy Soul is better'd by a Deliverance whether it be from Enemies or Sickness or any other distress or danger 2. Are we so prone to sin after Deliverance Then hence be warned to be very watchful upon the enjoyment of such a Mercy Oh that we who enjoy so eminent escapes from danger might use our greatest industry to prevent our proceeding in sin Let us fortifie our selves against such an evil practice Make conscience of what you do in a delivered condition Let us no longer carelesly run on in our sins but seriously consider the inducements we have to a holy Life Now in order to prevent our proceeding in sin admit this serious counsel and observe these Directions 1. Make frequent Reflections on the great Deliverance in part bestowed upon us When the Creator of the ends of the Earth survey'd his glorious Works he saw they were good and delighted in them and he greatly delights that we should be frquent in Meditations of his glorious Works of Creation and Providence and live in perpetual admirings of them applauding the shines of his Power Wisdome and Mercy in them The least of Gods Works deserve the admiration of the greatest Angel in Heaven Inconsiderate Persons gain little advantage by the most considerable Mercies Were our hearts more thankful we should make a particular Computation and exact Chronology of dayly and yearly Mercies The forgetfulness of Mercy is the ground of our forsaking God after them 'T is mighty effectual to ballast our hearts against our impetuous inclinations to sin to be much in considering what God hath done for us Hence the people of Israel were admonished to be frequent in reviewing their sad condition in Egyptian bondage with the blessed escape given them from it Deut. 26.1 2.5 c. When thou art come into the land thou shalt speak and say A Syrian ready to pâ—rish was my father and he went down into Egypt and became there a great nation and the Egyptians intreated us ill and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and out-stretched arm and with great terribleness c. Thus they were to make a frequent commemoration of their miserable state and merciful escape In like manner it were necessary for us to look back on what we lately were and say A little while since I was at the gates of Death by the subtile contrivances of Popish Enemies a little time past I had near been devoured by the jaws of those preying Lions Some few months are past since the Nation was in danger of being involv'd in incomparable Miseries it hath almost been made a Stage for the acting a bloudy Tragedy an Altar on which had been sacrificed innumerable precious Lives a Prey to Roman Fury and now behold blessed be the Lord the Scene is changed the Curtains of Secrecy that covered the nasty vault of Popish Conspirators is happily drawn aside the God of our lives by his over-awing Majesty hath influenced the hearts of Enemies to detect the Snare they once did endeavour to lay Should we not then argue Should I that was so lately in such danger of losing my precious life now squander it away as a contemptible thing Should I thus lately experiencing mercy from God manifest my self by wicked courses
to be a rebellious Enemy to him Should not the thoughts of the death danger and miserable calamity God hath brought me from bring me unfeignedly to love him and constantly to yield obedience to him Let us therefore to prevent proceeding in sin reflect on the kindness of God Seriously think how miserable thou hadst been without the Deliverance Oh miserable state had it not come Enemies raging if not reigning Gospel corrupted if not removed Lives endanger'd if not destroyed How had we been fleeing on Mountains hiding in Dens or burning in Flames tortur'd with Racks How had we been without Bread to eat Houses to lodge in or else all robbed by those pilfâ—ring Papists if not burnt by their horrid malice which is enough to put the whole Universe into miserable Conflagrations How should we meditate how seasonably Deliverance came we helpless careless and ignorant then was it that his mighty arm brought a blessed Salvation to us Behold how unworthy we were of such a Mercy of such a Deliverance A sinful rebellious people for us to partake of so much favour is the greatest Mirrour in the world Now can we forget this goodness If we have no memories to retain Mercies we soon may have no Mercies to retain in memory Or can we sin in the sight of such kindness We shall never see such a glorious Deliverance if we sin in the face of this Oh let us often say as those Numb 23.22 What hath the Lord wrought among us Oh what a glorious Work was this embroider'd with Mercy set forth with the shines of Wisdome and illustrious by the impressions of infinite Power Oh forget not this Work If we forget Deliverances God may forget to deliver Isai. 17.10 11 They were made desolate for forgetting the God of their Salvation 'T is known that the breasts that afford the sweetest Milk will dry up if not drawn the breasts of Mercy will be certainly dryed up if no benefit be drawn from them by a serious remembrance and faithful improving of them Prayers and Tears are the best means to obtain Mercies and a thankful remembrance will be the best way to have them continued to us 2. To prevent thy proceeding in sin think with thy self what Promises and Obligations what Pleas and Arguments you would have made to the Lord and urged him with to have induced him to have given such a Deliverance as this Would you not have promised that if it should please him to exercise his Power in saving of you you would engage that to the utmost of your power you would serve him Oh what great obligations would you willingly have laid your selves under to be freed from so dreadful a Destruction as you were appointed to What obedience service love and respects do sinners vow to God on a Bed of sickness languishing to death What would we have promis'd then when no less than a whole Nation was languishing and every Enjoyment ready to give up the Ghost Oh what solemn engagements to all possible obedience would then have been made Would you have promised these things and will you not perform them Let the readiness of God to do it without these engagements make you more ready to do those things than if you had engaged to do them Consider also what pleas thou wouldst have used with God to spare thee think what arguments might have prevailed with him to deliver thee and let them prevail with thee to forsake sin Thou wouldst not have said Lord spare me to go on a while longer in rebellion against thee cut me not off till I have dishonoured thy glorious Name a little more give me my life to be a Drunkard Swearer Lyar Sabbath-breaker yet a while longer Thou couldst never have the impudence to plead thus thou couldst never imagine these Arguments could prevail therefore use the considerations of Arguments which thou thinkest would prevail to curb thy heart from sin as thou thinkest would have been proper to prevail with God to deliver thee And what are those Oh spare me that I may prepare for death Oh give me space that I may repent of my sins and reform And let thy carriage be such now in part delivered as may answer such motives as these which would have been used with God to deliver thee 3. Consider how thou wouldst carry to man if receiving a thousand times smaller kindnesses from him Oh the thanks that shall be return'd to man for a small favour What readiness to do for man when doing for us Should a man but save us from perishing how grateful how serviceable should we become unto him And shall kindness from sinful creatures make such impressions on our hearts and the abounding goodness of the glorious God be disregarded We love man loving of us and shall we not love a loving God We devote our selves to the service of our earthly Benefactors and shall we be so devilish as to deny obedience to the great God under all his benignity to us Shall God have worse dealings from us than men Wouldst thou not offend an earthly Friend and wilt thou offend a heavenly Friend Wilt make nothing of displeasing God when he gives thee such Mercies as all the men on Earth cannot bestow upon thee Oh let but this be considered and surely thou canst not persist in sin Vse 5. See here the unconquerable stubbornness of mans heart Oh how do our hearts stand out against God under all his dealings with us We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unperswadable generation Oh wonderful obstinacy that the sweetest Melody of mercy cannot charm us Oh what hardned souls are in us when the pleasant distillations of showers of mercy upon us cannot soften us Oh what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong holds have sin that the cords of mercy can't draw us from them Oh how hard is it to gain a Victory over corrupted nature and accustomed sins Oh strange affections that we have to sin that the strongest engagements can't bring us from it Such is the stubbornness of unchanged souls that whether God walks in ways of Mercy or paths of Judgment they will go contrary to him Oh the hardness to be lamented that appears among us Though the Almighty hath done thus much for us we have not to this day been duly affected with what he hath done We have gone on frowardly when God hath dealt most kindly by us we go on to provoke the eyes of his glory when he hath made so much of his glorious goodness pass before us Oh stubborn souls that will not regard the melting kindness of God! but do as it were resolve whatever God doth they will sin against him Though he seek reconciliation they will follow rebellion though he strives to out-do their Rebellion with mercy they will not lay down their Arms but be avenged on his many mercies Inferences from the third Proposition concerning the hainousness of sin after deliverance 1. Is sinning after deliverance such hainous sinning Behold then
God will suffer sinners to stand till they are come to their full stature in sin and then he cuts them down and makes an end of them Thus Christ speaks to the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.32 Fill ye up the measure of your Fathers i. e. Ye will be filling up the measure of their sins till the Lord comes and measures out judgment to you according to the measure of your sins Oh then what cause have we to fear lest the Vials of wrath should suddenly be poured out upon us Is not the harvest of sin almost ripe or will not these showers of mercy suddenly ripen it And then the sickle must be put in a bloody enemy let in among us that shall cut us down as the reapers do the corn Oh let us dread the approaches of vengeance under the increases of sin and wickedness The measures of wrath have been long a filling the iniquities of our fathers are lay'd up for us and may be rewarded on our heads when the measure is full We ripen apace for judgments now destruction may be at the door ere we know Inferences from the fourth and fifth Propositions concerning the destructive nature of Sinning after deliverance Vse I. May destruction come after deliverance Then hence we may learn that present impunity can be no evidence of our future safety Mercies are not so inseparably entail'd upon us that justice cannot deprive us of them Present prosperity may have a mournful ending in dismal adversity National as personal salvation from present dangers may end in destruction The wings of our feathery confidence had need be clipt when we fondly presume the Almighty to be ever bound to deliver such a people as we because he hath once more graciously done it 2 Pet. 2.9 God reserves the unjust to judgment The bird that escapes the fowlers net for once may be afterwards caught we that are wonderfully preserved from the snares of hellish Plotters may at last be made a prey if we grow no more watchful Our cloudy Heavens threaten new storms The world is very full of great and unexpected mutations The turnings of the wheels of Providence are very swift and various We may now as suddenly be destroy'd as we have often been delivered Iud. 5. After delivered God destroyed those that believed not The ship that evades the dangers of the Sea more than once may be swallowed up in its Sands or shattered by its Rocks at last The reprieved malefactor may justly expect his deserved execution after a little space afforded for preparation And in truth the relief our offended God hath given us seems more like a Reprieve than a Deliverance and cause we have most seriously to fear that ere long we shall experience that Justice can destroy as Mercy can deliver Our impunity is not from Gods impotency but patience and that may soon be expir'd We have cause to dread that awakening word Josh. 24.20 If ye forsake the Lord then will he turn and do you hurt after all the good he hath done you Our not returning under good will make him turn to do us harm Proceeding in sin will interrupt the course of mercies and introduce successions of judgments You may be surprised with sudden miseries in the midst of your feigned safety God will not always draw with cords of love Hos. 11.3.4 5. I drew them with cords of a man with bonds of love that is I dealt with them in the most gracious manners striving to draw their rebellious hearts into subjection but since I cannot prevail v. 5 They shall not go down to Egypt they shall have no shelter there but the Assyrian shall be their King and the sword shall abide in their cities and devour his branches Thus may the dealings of God be changed and cords of love be turned to chastising rods to lash the backs of stubborn fools We cannot ensure the continuance of mercies but by our compliance with the designs of God by them That which was spoken to Ephraim may fall upon us Hos. 9.11 As for Ephraim his glory shall flee away like a bird We imagine we have mercies sure as a bird in the cage but as the door being opened the bird flies away so mercies will take their wings and be gone from a sinful people Trust not then to your present freedom you may be enslaved flatter not your selves in hopes of perpetual deliverance destruction may come at last 3. Will this persistence in sin hasten such certain and miserable ruine Then see what reason there is to shake off our pleasing but hurtful security admitting some fearful thoughts and affecting our hearts with apprehensions of our eminent danger Unwilling we are to admit of such Truths near our decoying hearts which may affect us with fear or grief But 't is far from the nature of wisdom to flatter our selves into ruine or to fancy our selves secure in a glorious Paradise till we be miserable in a desolate wilderness Three things says Luther will undo a Nation Oblivion of Mercies Politick contrivances and Carnal Security Well will it be if these prove not our ruine at last Oh what a fearless Age do we live in we sleep on pillows stuft with the fire of divine vengeance We cry Peace Peace and destruction is coming How do we stupifie our Senses fear our Consciences lock up our Understandings to keep out all fears in the midst of most dreadful dangers What stupifying Opiums hath the Devil perswaded us to swallow that makes us so mindless of approaching miseries How do we fortifie our selves with most fond presumptions against the threats of vengeance denounc'd from Heaven Can fancyed safety deliver our Nation from Enemies when we have nothing else to secure us Can empty boastings of conceited ability to defend our selves prevent the assaults of Enemies or deliver our Land from the ruine designed Will security in sin be sufficient guard to preserve us from all Conspiracies can neither God nor man do us any harm whilst we imagine our selves out of danger Oh nos miserrimos Oh miserable England how do we surfeit with mercies and wax sick with the kindness of Heaven and yet say It shall be well with us How do we wound our selves when the Lord is healing and destroy our selves when the Lord is delivering and yet say The Lord will go on to deliver What Prosperity do we promise our selves whilst God is threatning our ruine What Halcyon-days do we vainly expect though Miseries are ready to seize us Oh the dreadful Dooms that are threatned to so stupid a people in the Word of the Lord Oh the sad Calamities have come upon a people in this condition Is not this the posture our Enemies so greatly desire to finde us in What is their work but to lull us asleep and then to be butchering of us What is the great contrivance at this day of the Papists and such as affect them but to suppress our fears by cheating devices knowing our deepest security
kindness can we think to be blest with his presence long We read Hos. 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good The Hebr. is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repulit à se bonum i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneficium or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praeter quem non est bonum So Rivet Grotius and others that is Israel hath driven from it God the onely good hath made its kind Benefactor go away Oh have we not done thus have we not been driving God away from us as weary of his Ordinances tired with Gospel-proffers nauseating Mercies and despising Deliverances How can we think God can walk with us any longer when we walk so frowardly and contrary to him Amos 3.3 How can two walk together unless they be agreed thereby God shews them how impossible it was for him to continue in ways of mercy to them since they refused to walk with him in ways of duty which is the sweet harmony God expected from them says the Lord You would have me to walk with you and bless you yet ye depart from me and blaspheme my Name How can I longer walk with you Thus the Lord threatens a people Lev. 26.21 If ye walk contrary to me I will walk contrary to you v. 24. I will bring seven times more Plagues upon you according to your sins Oh how perversely have we walked How contrary is Disobedience to Deliverance Sinning to Salvation Cursing to Blessing and may not God justly leave us to ruine and suffer our destruction who deal thus unanswerably with him 2. May we not justly fear that our provoked God in justice will set the wicked over us who have despised his righteous and blessed Government August says God sets up wicked oppressors cum judicat res humanas talibus dignas dominis when he judges a people meriting such masters When Religion is coâ—nted an intolerable yoak under a Government that decrees the observance of it we may with terrour expect a yoak to be laid upon our necks that shall be so heavy that we shall see our unspeakable folly in accounting the service of God a slavery to him Have we not cause to fear that dreadful word Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of heart in the abundance of all things Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and thirst and nakedness and in want of alâ— things and they shall put a yoak upon thy neck until they have destroyed thee Our wanton spirits under sometimes-a-prosperous Rule may be humbled by the severities of either forreign Princes prevailing or home-enemies raigning God punishing the iniquity of a people is said Hos. 13.11 To give them a king in his wrath When God sets the wicked over a people 't is a manifest indication of his anger God often sets the worst of Governours over the worst of people As a holy man pleading with God about one Phocas made an Emperour Cur Domine Phocam Imperatorem constituisti responsum datum accepit Quia non inveni pejorem Why Lord hast thou made Phocas an Emperour he was answered Because I could not find a worse May not our hearts then dread the fatal effects of removing our present King whom God preserve Should God in anger do it what bloody confusion may follow in this nation and will not our sins in the abundance of mercies make him destroy both us and our King Prov. 28.2 For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof that is the continuance of Kings on this account is stortned and for the punishment of their villanies the lives of their Kings are abbreviated and one is set up after aâ—other which great mutations are often attended with great confusions and innumerable calamities 3. May we not justly fear the Lord may suspend his divine influence from the Councels of this Nation that since we have little regarded what he hath done for us the ablest Advisers the most politick Counsellours may be disabled from doing those things which may be profitable for us How often have the Councellours of a Nation deserted by God been unprosperous in their enterprises and undertakings for a people Notwithstanding the care our vigilant Soveraign hath taken or may take to suppress the growing power of Popery by his Royal Proclamations and although the hearts of our Parliament may be filled with sincerest intentions to act for the advantage of the Nation yet they may fail in the means and be disappointed of the end if God should desist from concurring with them What if their Counsels shall not have acceptance What if their advice may seem unsafe and others must needs be chosen Will not the Enemies of our Nation be working all this while Will not our Foes be contriving and hastening our ruine ere we have counsel to prevent it Would not this be a heavy Judgment And may not this be feared by us who have seen how hard it is to give acceptable counsel in these difficult and dangerous times What if the Lord should do to us as to the Counsellors of a people of old Isai. 19.14 He mingled a spirit of perversness in the midst of them Hence they became as a drunken man that staggereth in his vomit They staggered about were always unfixed ever unstable but reeled this way and that way not knowing what to do or where to go Should this Spirit of division be mingled with ours what shall we finde but the breach made wider the distress made greater Private animosities would be the destruction of publick advantages The Blessing that hath been promised to the godly hath been wanting to Councellors in our age Psal. 1.3 Whatsoever he doth shall prosper But hath not a miscarrying Womb and dry Breasts been the Curse of the Lord upon us What if the Lord should suffer them to mistake the means of our recovery or fall short in what they do Sometimes it hath been known that Governours have been too sparing to the wicked to their own ruine The King of Israel lost his life for sparing Benhadad that should have died 1 Kings 20.41 Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let go out of thine hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people It seems Ahab had too great a kindness for Benhadad who deserved to dye being an implacable enemy to them And are there not such enemies to be destroy'd at this day He also held by Tyranny places belonging to the Israelites and therefore deserved death And are there not those who are seeking to possess what belongs unto us that ought to be cut off for their malicious enterprizes He was also one that God did manifest his displeasure against by destroying 100000 Footmen of them whereby he might understand Gods displeasure against him Now for him to spare this enemy to intreat so honourably this publick