the merciful Dispensations of God to them 1 Sam. 15.17 18 19. And Samuel said When thou wast little in thine own sight wast not thou made the Head of the Tribes of Israel and the Lord annointed thee King over Israel and the Lord seat thee on a journey and said Goe and utterly destroy the Sinners c. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord And Nathan said to David c. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. I annointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hand of Saul And I gave thee thy Masters House and thy Masters Wives into thy bosome and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would morcover have given unto thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord to do evil in his sight And hath there not been as much disingenuity and unkindness in our Sins The Lord hath given his Statutes to us and his Laws He hath not so dealt with all the Nations under Heaven He hath nourished and brought us up as Children Isa 1.2 3 4. but we have rebelled against him The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my People my People doth not cousider Ah sinful Nation a People laden with iniquity c. God fetcheth a deep sigh Ah! under the burden of this Ingratitude His Spirit is laden and troubled with it They have provoked the Holy One of Israel Mis-improvements of Mercies are very provoking When God comes for Bread to be sent away with Stones must need vex the good Spirit of the Lord. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken it Oh for Professours to be worse than Publicans for they will be kind to such as are kind to them Have not we sinn'd against God even with his favours and requited him evil for good May not the Lord say unto us Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus require the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee All the mercies we have received greaten our sins The more richly that God hath heaped his Blessngs upon us the more wantonly we have followed the swinge of our own Lusts and the more contemptuously spurned at his holy Commandements We have great cause to be ashamed for that all our sins have been 〈◊〉 gainst mercy and therefore against the Principle and Law of Nature It is a perpetual Spot not to be worn out by time that of King Jeash that he slew Zechariah the Son of Jehojada the High Priest who had been loyal unto him in the getting of the Kingdom and faithful in the administration of it ◠Chron. 24.22 23. Thus Joash the King remembred not the kindness which Jehojada his Father had done to him but slew his Son and when he dyed he said the Lord look upon it and requite it And it came to pass at the end of the year that the Host of Syria came up against him and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the people from among the people But alas What Engagements could Zechariah possibly lay on Joash that may weigh with the Mercies of our God to us And yet how have we made his choicest Favours as Arrows to shoot at the God that sent them What wretched Prodigals have we been to wast all in the service of Hell which were conferr'd with so open an hand to draw forth our time strength and spirits in the praises and services of God For this our Ingratitude Ezra 9.13 14. the Lord may justly be angry with us till he hath consumed us so that there shall be no remnant nor escaping O that you would remember the Lord from Shittim to Gilgal Mica 6.5 i. e. from the beginning of Mercy to the end of it And you will hardly find that you any of you have been the better for it but many Jeshurun-like have waxed fat and kicked God is this day calling out of Heaven to England and to each particular person in it Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise I could even wish for the thousands of our Israel that they had received fewer Privileges or had had the grace to serve the Lord in the abundance of all things better than they have to this very day If ever you purpose sound Repentance then take a view of all the Mercies of God towards you Goe back to the time when the first stone was laid yea goe back to the eternal projects of God to make thee out of nothing and to redeem thee when worse than nothing Review the upper and lower Springs with which Soul and Body have been refreshed Remember how many eminent Deliverances and Salvations God hath wrought for thee And if at any time thou hast been straitned in outward comforts yet remember how thou hast been enlarged with spiritual graces if God hath denyed thee in one kind of mercy he hath supplyed it by a gracious wonderfull commutation in another in a better if thou hast been denyed the fleshpots of Egypt and the land flowing with honey yet it hath been all made up in the bread the Mannah that fell from Heaven if thou hast had sometimes bodily infirmities yet thou hast been strengthned with all might in the inward man if thou hast been denyed thee the gold of the earth yet God hath supplyed thee in making thee rich in faith If sometimes Friends have been unfriendly inconstant or treacherous yet God hath stood by thee when all left thee God hath dealt with you as with Sons your gleanings are better than the Vintage of the world Having laid these and innumerable such mercies in one Scale now lay in the other Scale thy soul ingratitude not only that particular sin of unthankfulness that thou hast been guilty of of which before but the ingratitude that hath been in all thy sins in thy pride hypocrisie formality self-love self-seeking impatience neglect of duty to Superiours Equals and Inferiours profaneness intemperance unrighteousness c. that Remembring the Lord and his goodness towards thee together with thy cursed returns thou may'st yet abhor thy self in dust and ashes Take words and say My Salvations are more than I can number Blessed be God the Father of all mercy But my sins also are innumerable I cannot recount them shame upon me O! how vile have I made my self whilst by abuse of rich mercy Mat. 5.47 Isa 1.3 I have lived below the ingenuity that is found in Publicans and Beasts O that God would give me the success that the Angel had on such a sinfull people as you are Judg. 2.1 2 3 4. And the Angel of the Lord come up from Gilgal to Bochim and said I made you to go up out of Egypt and have brought you into the land which I swear unto your
What vengeance is that like to prove which hath Gods Armies of Fire and Wind united Is it nothing that the Fire burned at some time contrary to the Wind and as it were in opposition to it and was then as uncheckable as when it had the Winds raising and chasing it Is it nothing that in the drought of the season and the want of water God seem'd to hinder the application of Remora's to both Wind and Fire Was not therein the Judgement executed upon England in its heart which God threatned against the Chaldeans a drought is upon her Waters and they shall be dryed up Jer. 50.38 for it is a Land of graven Images and they are madd upon their Idols Is it nothing that the rational and probable anticipations of the constagrating progresses of the Fire which might have been were hid from the eyes of those whose interest it would have been to have improved them Did not God at that time take courage from the mighty and wisdome from the wise Is it nothing that London the great Bulwark of the Reformed Religion against the assaults and batteries of Popery and Prophaness is in a great measure destroyed But above all Is it nothing that generally there is so little sense of any of these Judgements The Wine of Astomshment is given us to drink and we reel to and fro like Drunkards But alas 2 Chron. 7.14 Who humbleth himself and prayes and seeks Gods face and turns from his wicked wayes that God may heal our Land 2. The sins of any one of us may be the Incendiâ— aries Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins seeing the sins of any one of you in particular may have been the great Incendiary This is certain God hath for the delinquency of one man yea for one sin brought Plagues upon many If any thing will move thine heart this will but nothing will without Gods concurse The Lord fasten this nayl the Lord fix this upon thy Soul and let it be as Frontlets between â—â—ine eyes day and night When Achan was guilty of one sin and that a secret one when he had stoln a wedge of Gold when he had impropriated it to his own use which God had destined to another he troubled the whole Church of God the Armies of Israel fell before the men of Ai the generation of Gods curse yea Joshua their Prince became dejected and his communion with God was thereby for a while broken And the Lord said unto Joshua get thee up Josh 7.10 11 12 c. 22.20 wherefore lyest thou on thy face Did not Achan the Son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel And that man perished not alone in his iniquity The iniquity of Peor though committed long agoe yet raised a cloud of wrath which was ready to empty it self upon the whole Church of God for it many years after Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us Josh 22.17 from which we are not cleansed to this day although there was a Plague in the Congregation of the Lord The Gibeonites who had craftily secured their Lives by an exchange for their Liberties got an Oath from Saul and almost 500. years after when this Covenant was broken in the slaying of many of them and Saul was dead the flourishing Church of God suffered three years Famine for this Perjury Then there was a Famine in the dayes of David 2 Sam. 21.1 three years year after year and David enquired of the Lord And the Lord answered It is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites Manasseh sinn'd and that cost the Liberties and Lives of many good as well as bad Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great anger 2 Kings 23.26 wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall Pharaoh refused to give liberty to Gods Church to worship their God and this brought unparallel'd Judgements and Plagues upon the whole Land of Egypt Amalecks abuse of Gods people was not forgotten for an hundred years but God took up an everlasting quarrel with them till he had rooten them out of the Earth Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Yea the Sins of one good man have brought down Plagues upon many David whether out of curiosity or vain-glory or confidence in an arm of flesh would needs number the people a little sin in comparison of what we are guilty of yet it cost the lives of 70000. by the Pestilence So the Lord sent a Pestilence upon Israel c. 2 Sam. 24.15 and there dyed of the people from Dan even to Beersheâ—a seventy thousand men Solomon was a good Prince and yet by his sins he brought miserable confusions on the most considerable part of the Church of Israel by that great revolt which it occasioned Wherefore the Lord said to Solomon 1 Kings 11.11 For as much as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my Covenant and my Sâ—atutes which I have commanded thee I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy Servant Eli a good man and a good Magistrate yet because too indulgent to his Children a Vice common but seldome considered and bewailed what a fearful Plague brought he upon his Posterity as well as himself And the Lord said unto Samuel Behold I will do a thing in Israel 1 Sam 3.11 12 13 14. at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House When I begin I will also make an end for I have told him that I will judge his House for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not And therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli that the iniquity of Elies House shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever Luk. 11.50 51. Mat. 23.35 36. The blood of all the Prophets saith Christ which was shed from the Foundation of the World shall be required of this Generation from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the Altar and the Temple Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this Generation And yet who holds up his hand to Gods Barr and cryes Guilty Guilty Who saith as David when the Angel forraged among the People 2 Sam. 24.17 Let thy hand be against me for these sheep What have they done We are quick-sighted enough yea too much to espye and aggravate the sins of others We expect fearful Plagues for others Adulteries Drunkennesses Swearing and Blaspheming But the Lord hearkeneth when we will
but questionable yea which have been found in unsound Hypocritical hearts and so deceive themselves Their groundless Pleas that they have closed with Christ as if they had a Christ and real Grace within them How do they live upon these Signes comfortably all their dayes without a Christ Excuse me if I bring in their Pleas and answer them briefly 1. I am changed from what I was nay changed inwardly So was Saul And it was so 1 Sam. 10.9 that when he had turned his back to goe from Samuel God gave him another heart Thou mayest have another heart and yet not a new heart 2. I have extraordinary Gifts I was dull unable to speak of God tongue-tyed among the Saints but I can now hold a discourse with them and manage some of the highest services as well as they Might not Saul say so much for himself had not he the Spirit of Prophesie to admiration When a company of Prophets met him 1 Sam. 10.10 11. the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them Then the people said one to another What is this that is come to the Son of Kish Is Saul also among the Prophets The Spirit of God was upon him also at another time 1 Sam. 19.23 24. and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah and he stript off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay downnaked all that day and all that night He was so great a Proficient that as one observes As soon as he was admitted into the Society he commenced Doctour and prophesied with the best of them They stood and prophesied he went on he could run and prophesie yea he was so full of the Spirit of Prophesie that he neither eat nor drank nor slept nor rose but lay down naked all the day and all the night he was as in a traunce all that while and wanted neither meat nor drink nor clothes nor sleep 3. I was full of revenge but now I am come to such a pitch of Religion that I can pass by Offences yea pass them by when I have an opportunity of punishing them that affront me Had not Saul so much Religion The Children of Belial said 1 Sam. 10.27 How shall this man save us and they despised him and brought him no Prosents but he held his peace He bears much that can bear being derided 4. Though I am meek in mine own Cause yet when the Name of God and the Church of God suffer I can be very much inflamed So was hypocritical Saul 1 Sam. 11.2 6. When Nahash the Ammonite told the men of Jabesh On this condition will I make a Covenant with you that I may thrust out all your right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tydings and his anger was kindled greatly 5. I am merciful to men to mine Enemies because God hath shewed me mercy So was Saul And Saul said 1 Sam. 11.13 There shall not a man be put to death this day for this day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel Though he was incited to revenge yet he would not 6. When I have any Mercy from God I see God in the Mercy and is not this a good Sign Truly no better than Saul had 1 Sam. 11.13 To day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel 7. I engage God with me before I set upon any considerable Undertakings Did not Saul so much Then said I the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal and I have not made Supplication to the Lord 1 Sam. 13.12 I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt Offering And Saul said unto Ahiah Bring hither the Ark of God c. And Saul asked counsel of God Shall I goe down after the Philistines 8. When I Pray I look what becomes of my Prayer and I suspend many of my Motions till I have an Answer Saul the Hypocrite went so farr he look'd after his Prayer and would not goe down after the Philistines 1 Sam. 14.37 because God answered him not that day 9. If I have no Answer to Prayer I examine the Reason and I am sure this is more than most Professours do But not more than Saul did When God answered him not that day 1 Sam. 14.37 38. Saul said Draw ye nigh hither all the chief of the people and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day 10. I am troubled for other mens sins and cannot but reprove sinners Is not this a Sign of Sincerity I answer No unless Saul were sincere When he was told the People eat the blood he was troubled and reproved them too 1 Sam. 14.33 He said Ye have transgressed 11. My Zeal against Sin is such that I punish it where-ever I find it I am impartial in my rebukes of sin my Children as well as my Servants are corrected if they trespass against the Lord. Hence I conclude mine estate is good And so might Saul 1 Sam. 14.29 As the Lord liveth who saveth Israel though it the sin be in Jonathan my Son he shall surely dye 12. I conclude God loves me from a constant series of smiling Providences that followeth all that I take in hand I find that the Lord blesseth me in my goings out and comings in whatsoever I do doth prosper And had not Saul strange Successes and Victories When Israel was so low that they had no weapons for Warr nor Smiths to make any Saul took the Kingdome over Israel 1 Sam. 14.47 and fought against all his Enemies on every side c. and whither soever he turned himself he vexed them 13. I find a readiness to confess others better than my self so did Saul with tears in his Eyes And Saul said 1 Sam. 24.16 17. is this thy voice my Son David And Saul lift up his voice and wept and he said to David thou art more righteous than I. 14. I continue my duties when I fear God hath rejected me even in desertion I keep on worshiping So did Saul when Samuel told him God hath rejected thee 1 Sam. 15.25 30 31. he desired Samuel to turn again with him that he might worship the Lord and he prevailed with Samuel to turn again and Saul worshiped the Lord. 15. I see a beauty in the Church and People of God So did Balaam How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the Valleys are they spread forth Numb 24.5 6. as Gardens by the Rivers sides as the Trees c. which the Lord hath planted and as Cedar trees besides the waters 16. I cannot for the greatest advantage be brought to sin against God Neither could Balaan Numb 24.13 If Balak would give me his house full of Silver and Gold I cannot go beyond the Commandement of the Lord c. 17. I live up to the dictates of
many wells of Salvation have been opened unto me which have been shut unto the most of the World But to return to Plato If he thanked God for living in the dayes of Socrates we may say that greater than Socrates have been amongst us We have had those with whom we have taken sweet counsell with whom together we have gone to the house of God who have been burning as well as shining lights many examples of close-walking heavenly Christians have we enjoyed such as have had the wisdome from above and more pure learning than ever Socrates or Plato could pretend to The Society of how many heavenly grave serious active fruitfull Christians have we been blest with such as have been faithfull admonishers such as would not suffer sin to rest upon us such as have dayly told us here is the way walk herein O the helps we have had But O the cursed unthankfulness of our hearts towards God notwithstanding his bestowing upon us so many lights to guide us so many fires to warm us and so much salt to season us 1. Instead of giving God the glory of all O! Evidenced in their Sacrificing to Instruments Hab. 1.16 how have we sacrificed to our own nets and to other Instruments We have praised our selves rather than God for what we have We have not ascribed the glory to God but to Instruments like that Cardinal who writ down how much such a Prince honoured him what such a Lord did for him and what such a Pope conferr'd on him whereupon another infers This man remembred his Friends but forgot God Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands but God hath little or no share in the Triumph 2. Too much Complaining How sensible are we of our wants and straits But O how unaffected with the goodness of God towards us How full of complaints are we but empty of acknowledgements Hath not the want of some one thing robb'd us of the comfort of all our enjoyments and God of the praise that was due to his name We have been such is our wayward Nature more troubled for the want of some one thing than thankful for many mercies Like Haman one Mordecai not bowing to our desires hath made us heavy and senseless under all our honours and Gods vouchsafements Like Achab we have been more dejected for want of Naboth's Vineyard than we have bless'd God for a Kingdome 3. Being most in the Petitionary part of Prayer Are not we oftner longest and heartiest in the Petitionary part of Prayer We are still craving the supply of wants but seldome very seldome too too seldome blessing of God for what we are stored with Our Petitions are long but Praises are short To whom be praise honour and glory serves for a sufficient Doxolgy Yea how earnest how fervent how importunate are we in the Petitionary part but how dull and heartless are we in the Gratulatory part of Prayer 4. Setting up their rest in Gladness Do not we set up our rest in being glad of Mercies and Deliverances Whereas it is one thing to be glad of a Mercy or Deliverance but another thing to be thankful for it Then are they glad I but that will not serve the turn Psal 107.30 31. it is a return of an higher nature which God looks for O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness 5. Forgeting Mercies Isa 17.10 Are not we unmindful of the gracious dealings of God with us Have not we forgotten the God of our Salvations and been unmindful of the Rock of our strength He is an unthankful man saith Sekeca that denies a Benefit received so is he that dissembles it together with him that requites it not but of all the rest he is most unthankful that hath forgitten it 6. Not making Catalogues of Mercies Psal 78.5 Deut. 4.9.6.7.31.19 Have not we neglected to make Catalogues of the Mercies we have received to help our memories How can we that have not and will not submit to this Divine Ordinance look upon our selves as some of Gods Israel This God hath ordained for a Law and a Statute for Israel What was this Ordinance That they should write it what God had done for them and so provide that the Generations to come might know what God had done But alas how little care have we that whatsoever God does may be for ever to his glory Eccles 3.14 How injust are we unto our Children and the Generations to come in depriving them of a faithful Record of Gods Mercies to us in which God speaks to them as well as unto us What God spake to Jacob at Bethel he spake to Israel that lived in Hosea's time Hos 12.3 above a thousand years after it There he spoke with us How injurious to them By such a faithful Record they might read the right way in sayling Heaven-ward by our Falls they might know where lye the Rocks and Quick-sands and by our Deliverances where Out-gates are to be found Not speaking of Gods Mercies unto others Psal 66.16 7. Have not we been too silent concerning the Goodness of God towards us How seldome do we with David say Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul How unlike Saints are we Thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom Psal 145.10 11 12. Isa 63.7 and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts I will mention the loving Kindnesses of the Lord and the Praises of the Lord according to all that he hath bestowed on me c. So sings Zion 8. Not stirring up others to joyn with them in praising God Have not we neglected to call on others to joyn with us in the blessing of God When did we make a Collection of Praises from our Friends that would gladly have been in the Quire A thankful heart is fill'd with enlarged desires that others that all would joyn in the work of Praising God A gracious heart doth not think it enough to praise God alone though it would be praising God were there none in Heaven or Earth to bear it company But I shall speak more particularly Their Vnthankfulness and instance in some of those choice personal Mercies to wave national ones for which the best of us are too too unthankful How have we forgot the hole For Conversion and deep pit and miry clay out of which we were digg'd Have not we been unmindful of the blessed Jubilee when the Prisoners were let out of the Prison-house Paul remembreth many Circumstances of his Conversion the Place wherein Acts 22.6 7. in a journey nigh to Damascus the Time when about Noon the Manner how suddenly there did shine from Heaven a great Light round about me and I fell to the ground and heard a voice c. He remembred also what he was before Conversion
and victory Have we made conscience to meditate upon our Wants what Graces we mostly need of their Wants what we are most defective in From this neglect we pray as if we did not pray without zeal earnestness and importunity Whereas had we viewed our Wants of God of his Grace Spirit Protection Mercy and Presence we should pray as for Life and those stragling vain thoughts would hereby have been suppressed When the Malefactour is begging his Life at the Barr his Soul is not running adrift after every Feather but he minds his business 't is Life and his Life that is endangered and therefore he gathers up all possible arguments that may induce the Judge to abate of the rigour of Justice towards him But how oft have we been on our knees and have been ignorant of what ailes us so that we might truly say we knew not what to ask When you goe to your Markets you consider what you and yours want but do we so when we goe to our Spiritual Markets Have not we neglected to meditate of the Mercies of God of Mercies received which we have received Hence we come either customarily before God or not with that holy boldness as we should One Mercy opens a door to another The Valley of Achor was given as a door of hope to Israel Hos 2. Forgetting the returns of Prayer makes our hearts ake and knees faint We should book the passages of Gods grace how he remembred us in our low condition how he hath visited us day by day when we have come in as the parched ground we have found God a dew to us and springs of water have appeared in the wilderness When we have come in before God with our Shackles on our Feet with Irons that have entred our Souls God hath made it a Jubilee he hath proclaimed the acceptable year he hath let us out of the Prison-house and hath set our feet in a large place When we have come in before God with guilt on our Souls and with fearful expectations how hath God given us the white stone and sent us away with his blessing and with gladness of heart The neglect of our Diaries of the Providences and Mercies of God the want of reflecting on all the Rings that God hath sent us makes us more like Slaves than Children Do we with David cry out Psa 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Have not we neglected to meditate on the great and wonderful things of the prevalency of Prayer that have been done upon the Prayers of Gods People We should have in everlasting remembrance what a powerful Engine Prayer is Gen. 32.28 Exod. 32.32 Jam. 5.17 18. It hath held the hands of the Almighty Jacob and Moses prevailed over God It hath been a Key to open and shut the Heavens Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months And he prayed again and the Heaven gave rain and the Earth brought forth her fruit And O what wonderful things hath God promised to a Praying People Jer. 33.3 Mat. 21.22 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not Whatsoever ye ask in my Name c. Here is more than Herod offered that was but half the Kingdome here is a Whatsoever Did we appear before God with these instances of grace and promises fresh in our thoughts we should not say What a weariness is it Or that there is no profit in serving God and gallop through our duties as we are wont 2. Not stirring up Grace received Another neglect before Prayer is The not stirring up our Graces before we set upon the Duty We too much rest on habitual preparation whereas actual is necessary He that leaps immediately from the Shop to the Throne of Grace and labours not to quicken his dull Soul and to leave worldly businesses behind him as Abraham his Servants when he goeth to sacrifice no wonder if he lose the Duty and provoke the Lord rather than be accepted with him The Well is seldome so full but that you may nay you must throw in a little to fetch up the more It is thought by the redoubling of David's charge that he found not his heart in a good frame for the exalting of God and therefore cries out so vehemently Psa 103.1 2. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits 2ly When Praying How have we failed when we have entred upon the Duty And that in Invocation in Confession in Petition and in Thanksgiving 1. In our Invocations In Invocation We call God Father and yet how unlike are we unto him we resemble not him we call Father we reverence not him we call Father we trust not to him with that confidence we would to receive of our Fathers of the Flesh we fear when we ask Bread he will give us a Stone we have lower thoughts of Gods bowels than of our own we think our selves more pitiful better natur'd than God himself If I were a Mother and my Child in distress I should deny him nothing 2. In our Confession of Sin Confession Psa 119 26. We are not full and free and ingenious we sit with Rachel upon some Idols we do not declare our wayes unto him but rather cover our transgressions as Adam Few can clear themselves as Job did You will perhaps confess Job 31. We have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheep We have left undone c. Dolus in generalibus Psa 32.3 but still in generals David was in this gravelled When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long But you descend not to particulars or if to particulars yet the Benjamin is reserved loth to let Benjamin goe loth to confess envy pride breach of vowes want of love to Saints loving the rich only neglecting the poor You will confess what every man knows you are guilty of or what every man is addicted to but you shame not your selves by instancing in the particular neglects and commissions by which you chiefly provoke the Lord the Agags are not brought to execution the best of the Cattel are kept back one Wedge is hid in the Tent. Or if you confess most particularly yet it is without hatred of the sins confess'd You confess sin yet hugg it bosome it plead for it within one quarter of an hour You confess sin but without self-abhorrence 1 Kings 8.38 Job 42.6 you loath it not as the Plague
of your hearts I abhorr my self saith Job This implies a dislike an hatred an indignation against an utter alienation from and an opposition against sin God knows how little of this is mixed with the Confessions of most Professours 3. Petition as to the Matter In their Petitions Both Matter and Manner and End Have not we been faulty in the Matter Have they been alwayes for the best things Life Liberty Estate c. are desired but Grace Victory over Pride Passions Worldliness c. lye unsought for We fail also when we pray simply that we may not suffer for there is no foundation in the Promise for such a Prayer and we may not pray save for what God hath promised Have not we fail'd in the Manner Manner Have we alwayes pray'd with Earnestness Humility Faith Sincerity c. Hath the whole man been employed Few can say as David Psa 109.4 But I Prayer He was all Prayer or all of David or in David was herein employed Few can say With my whole heart have I intreated thy favour 119.58 Alas few pray effectually The heart and soul is not at work in the Duty James 5.16 It is the effectual fervent Prayer that avails We pray as if we had a mind God should deny us Qui frigide rogat docet negare Colos 4.2 We are too much like Children scribling over a piece of Paper which when they have done lay it aside or break it or think no more of it We have not continued in Prayer we have not back'd our Prayers with Prayers reinforced them we have soon fainted we have not been the right seed of Jacob I will not let thee goe untill thou bless me we soon faint and our desires expire Have not we fail'd in the End End James 4.3 May I not say as the Apostle James Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that you may consume it upon your Lusts Hath not our level been too low We should have made Gods Glory our End and we have made Self to quiet Conscience to obtain pardon of sin rather than purity of heart and life Hos 7.14 They assemble for Corn and Wine You have been perhaps earnest for the pardon of your own and Englands sins and yet selfish in all You fear and well you may temporal Plagues you are afraid that Sodoms sins may bring down fire and brimstone and therefore for your own sakes rather than Gods you pray and with some vehemency but your End is still too low Never do you pray aright till you pray more for Christs sake than for your own for his glory rather than for your own present future temporal or eternal advantages It is one thing to seek our selves and another thing to seek God in a duty They that pretended so highly begin to expostulate with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not and takest no knowledge Mens Lusts Pray rather than their Graces Pride and self-love endite the Petitions You have been suckling your lusts whilst seemingly devout You make Provision for the flesh whilst about spiritual work and whilst your inward man seems to be exercised 4. Thanksgiving In our Thanksgivings who is free from guilt in the gratulatory part of Prayer Some bless God for Justification Sanctification Adoption c. and are strangers to these Privileges yea if catechised know not what these mercies are no more than Parrots know what they prattle Others if like the Leapers they are cleansed yet return not to bless the Lord They are large in Petitions but very sparing in their Praises Unthankful Beggars are an abomination to God and man We should be thankful for the least mercy but though we have had the honour to be admitted into the Presence Chambers as Favourites an honour not vouchsafed to the most of mankind yet we are sullen and slow to return Praises for so great a vouchsafement You have not come to dry breasts you are every day full of mercy 2 Chron. 32. but alas You render not according to what you have received therefore wrath is against you Hast thou had no meetings in Prayer no enlargements no desires to fear the Lord no importunities no wrestlings why yet it is mercy that thou livest upon the patience and bounty of God 'T is much that thou shouldst have a beeing and be preserved to this day 'T is a wonder he should feed thee cloth thee protect thee strive with thee suffer thee who art but dust and ashes to speak with him The last night thou might'st have lain on a bed of fire or by the hedge or have been in the great deeps but alas few so ready to praise as to pray We are too much like the Vagabonds when we have what we come for away we goe and come no more till pinching necessity drives us Yea we too oft aggravate our miseries and over-look the benefits we enjoy that are mix'd with our crosses 3ly How have we After the Duty when our Prayers have been ended fail'd of our duties toward God by running post hast from the Throne of Grace to the World if not to our Lusts Not considering how our hearts were in time of duty whether straitned or enlarged Nor examining how the Duty hath been done whether composed or distracted whether we had the face of God toward us or his face vailed whether we were lively or lifeless dead-hearted or quickned serious or slight what Faith was stirring what Repentance exercised The Church and People of God observed their hardness in duty Isa 63.17 Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear We should look back upon our Prayers that we may be humbled for all our vain thoughts untowardness distractions and unbelief in the duty and we should do it then whilst we are in the highest capacity to know the miscarriages of the Soul what the aggravating circumstances thereof are c. And not only in order to Humiliation but Reformation that for the future we may not dare to touch the Mount of Gods Presence with such beastly frames In case we were in a good frame in the Duty quickly losing what was got in the Duty Did we labour to retain the influences of the Ordinance upon our hearts Did not we let the fire goe out again Have not we like some in a great sweat gone into the open air too soon and took a cold That 's dangerous David was more careful to maintain his fresh and lively frames and therefore he intreateth the Lord to keep the same in his Servants heart for ever How have we been faulty not looking for an answer Psa 5.3.85.8 in not believing that our Prayers shall be answered We direct our Prayer unto God but we do not look up till God look down as David We do not hearken what God the Lord will speak Paul observed how long the Lord was silent to his Prayer 2 Cor.
Natural Civil or Spiritual In respect of the sixth it is to preserve the Life of our Neighbour and to have a care that we injure him not in his beeing In reference to the seventh it is to preserve his just Relations and not touch them or cause the violation of their faith to to him in reference to the eighth it is to preserve his estate and not meddle with his goods the 9th requires that we preserve his good name and not defame him nor do any prejudice to his credit no more than we would to his estate and by vertue of the tenth we are to moderate our very desires so as not to envy him that which is his nor to long to have it in our possession To be sure there is righteousness to be look'd after in words and expressions as well as in deeds and actions But alas How doth the sin of lying abound among us And no wonder when Perjury is so common a sinne for this God hath a controversie with the Land Hos 4.1 2. Is there not need to take heed every one of his Neighbour and not to trust in any Brother Jer. 9.4 5. will not every one deceive his Neighbour and not speak the truth Have not they taught their tongue to speak lies If you are not couzeninglyers or false-witness-lyers yet are you not reviling-lyers Do you not upon every petty difference speak of one another ye care not what do ye not spread lying defamations Jer. 20.10 I heard the defaming of many report say they and we will report Is not the fawning-lyer common among us Their words are the words of Jacob but their hands are the hands of Esau Psal 55.21 The words of their mouths are smoother than butter but warr is in their hearts their words are softer than oyl yet are they drawn swords their is no faithfulness in their mouth their throat is an open sepulcher Upon this occasion give me leave to use David's Prayer Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth Psal 12.1 2. for the faithful fail from among the Children of men Why wherein consists their ungodliness they speak vanity every one with his Neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Is there not also many a Newes-telling lyer among us They believe in their Consciences that it is false Hos 7.3 what they relate and yet to promote an interest for to make hearts glad with lyes they will spread that which is false How many officious-lyers have we who tell lyes for some good end as they think The highest end is Gods glory but will ye speak wickedly for God Job 13.7 and talk deceitfully for him The Vulgar reads the Text Numquid Deus indiget vestro mendacio It contains a truth though not the sense of the place What! hath God need of your lye It is a dishonour to God to be thus help'd And if we must not speak evil that good may come to God sure then we may not whatever the Roman Doctours teach us speak evil that good may come to our selves How can you think you are Gods Children Considerations against Lying Isa 63.8 God engageth himself for his people that surely they will not lye surely they are my people children that will not lye Austin long agoe gave his judgement concerning lying that a man must not tell a lye to save the whole world if it were saith he to save thy Father or thy Mother out of Hell if possibly it could be thou must not tell a lye or if it were to save a Kingdom from destruction And yet to gain a little mirth or to gain a penny or to prevent the frowns of a Superiour how do some teach their tongues to lye Not considering Prov. 6.17 that among the seven things that are an abomination to the Lord lying is one yea as one observes he repeats lying twice though under several names Rev. 21.8 Tit. 1.2 that all lyers shall have their portion in the burning lake that herein they are like unto the Devil who is the Father of lyes and most unlike unto God Eph. 4.25 who cannot lye O then put away lying and speak the truth away with mental reservations and Jesuitical aequivocations Let thy tongue be the faithful interpreter of thy heart Be faithful in your promises and engagements be not yea and nay Remember Cicero the Heathen's saying None but the most villanous will deceive him who had been safe if he had not trusted CHAP. XXVI Their Covetousness IF there be so much unrighteousness Professon Covetousness no wonder that there is also much covetousness that must not be forgot when we remember the evil of our ways Covetousness is the seed of all unrighteousness 1 Tim. 6.10 V. Wells on Mich. 6.8 P. 18. Mat. 21.38 the râ—ot of all evil It was Jezabels covetousness that made her unjustly deprive Naboth of his Vineyard This is the heir come let us kill him and seize on his inheritance Flectere si nequeo Superos acheronta movebo If I cannot prevail with Heaven I will to Hell for an Estate is the voice of covetousness yea which is more sadly to be considered this is that which will put men not only upon injustice to others but to God himself it will make them offer violence to Religion to Divine honour and whatever is sacred in the world all these shall be prostituted to serve the ends of covetousness That man will stick at no abuse of God whose God is his gain How notorious was that of one of the holy fathers of Rome a Pope O quantas divitias peperit haec fabula Christi O how gainfull unto us hath been the fable of Christ And is not covetousness and earthly mindedness an Epidemical sinne Eccles 6.2 Solomon calls it an evil disease 'T is called by one Aurugo the yellow jaundise which makes the sick person look yellow all over This is the Grave which never saith Prov. 30.15 it is â—â—â—gh but like Solomons Horse-leech it cries give give O! what boundless appetites have many who can neither use what they have nor put a period to what they desire as in the Sea one wave riseth above another so here every desire of having is out-gone by a new desire of getting Are not your great cares for riches Evidenced in several particulars Do not your thoughts thus run out O! how shall I thrive more in the world get more estate custome but not O! how shall I get the favour of God the pardon of my sins and victory over my lusts how anxious and sollicitous are you every day for the world but how flat in your coming to have the Image of God renewed How dejected are you when you miss of a good bargain or when you meet with some loss by Sea or Land But how little troubled if you lose an opportunity of communion with the Lord How joyous are you when a little of
repaired to them but like Faelix you have dismist your convictions to some other opportunity How hath Satan befool'd many perswading them that there needs not so much adoe that the Minister is too legal that he will drive to despair that as Ahab thought of Michaiah he will not speak one comfortable word or that he will blazon the secrets of their souls and so they shall get a blot by unbosoming themselves 8. Their low and base ends in visiting them Have not you had low ends in visiting them yea not only low but base in going to your Shepheards Tents Perhaps they are full of History and you would enrich your selves with the knowledge of the times of many generations past perhaps they were merry too merry God knows too full of squibs and jests the Lord forgive the unseriousness of Ministers and you have delighted in them as Saul did in Davids Harp to drive away sadness and melancholy or perhaps your Ministers had quick nimble parts and you went to them to pick a Sallet from their Gardens to pick some flowers of Oratory or to please your fancies or to spend away time but how seldom to receive virtue from Jesus Christ through these pipes how seldom to have your rockie hearts broken and to be cured of your earthly Spirits 9. In inviting them to their houses How oft have you invited them to your houses only to feast them and to shew outwardly your respect unto them but have not put the opportunitie to such uses as Mary did Christs coming to her house how light vain unserious and jesting have you been in their companie It had been more your wisdom as well as dutie to have proposed some necessary Queries to them with respect to your eternity you should have drawn out their gifts and graces by proposing such Questions as these How Sir shall I know the difference between the assisting Questions to be ask'd Ministers and the informing and inhabiting presence of the Spirit How shall I discern the Spirit of bondage from that bondage Sathan works in the Children of disobedience How shall I know the difference betwixt temporary and saving Faith 'twixt legal and evangelical Repentance How shall I know moral Vertues from Graces How shall I know that I am gone beyond the utmost refinements of Hypocrites How shall I know whether the Gospel hath had a saving efficacy on mine heart How shall I know Satan's temptations from the suggestions of mine own heart How shall I know when Satan and when the Spirit applyes Promises How shall I discern the motions of the Holy Ghost from the impulses of Satan when transforming himself into an Angel of light How shall I know the teachings of the Spirit from the teachings of Men How shall I distinguish Fancy from Faith How shall I know whether I have only dreamed that I am full when all the while I have been empty How shall I know the Devils black temptations from mine own corruptions that I may know whom to charge How shall I get assurance that my Sins are pardoned How may I obtain victory over the World How may I be delivered from spiritual sloth What shall I do that I may retain the influences of Ordinances upon my Spirit How may I be more usefull to all my Relations How may I bridle my tongue so as to speak evil of no man How shall I know what is the work of my Generation How shall I do to work the works of God What shall I do to get a trembling heart under the Word and Works of God How shall I get a soft heart to mourn for my own and others Sins How shall I know what is my constitution sinne How shall I know whether my courage be from natural temper or the grace of God How shall I know whether my Patience be natural or spiritual How shall I know that I shall spend an eternity with God Such Questions as these should have been seriously debated with your Ministers but woe and alas When you and your Ministers have spent hours together have not you contracted guilt and made your selves unfit for secret duties nay perhaps have not time for the discharge of them 10. Their wasting Ministers time How have you devoured much precious time in the presence of your Ministers Both your own which is short enough therein to make your calling and election sure and which is a much more hainous evil your Ministers time Have not you diverted him from his great meditations and projects for the everlasting good of your Souls Have not you called your Ministers from their knees and studies to entertain you and have not you proved Wells without water Have not you by needless vain conferences obstructed your own good and hindred your Ministers from being usefull to your own and many more Souls 11. Being swift to speak before and slow to hear their Ministers When you have met with your Ministers have not you been swift to speak when to little purpose and slow to hear what your Minister Gods Deputie would have said unto you whereas God requireth you to be swift to hear and stow to speak I have wondred to see the impudence of some women herein who as if none had tasted of the tree of knowledge save themselves have been like bellies full of wind ready to burst till they had vent and had no respect to the presence of their Minister who could not be heard because of their noise and clamour though the Apostle hath sealed up their lips by sending them to ask questions of their Husbands at home yet they must be pratling 1 Cor. 14.35 as if they had a Monopolie of all knowledge and as if their MInisters were to learn of them rather than they of their Ministers I am confident it is not the Spirit of God but the Spirit of Pride Self-conceit and vain Glory which putteth private persons upon these bold intrusions so that the Minister who is the mouth of God 1 Tim. 2.11 12. Prov. 10.19 is made dumb by their overmuch speaking who should learn in silence What shall I say hear not me but the wisest of men yea the only wise God in him In the multitude of words there wanteth 〈◊〉 sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise Believe it there hath been wanting in most Professours much humility much â—â—â—ousness much reverence of their Ministers you have not had that fear and awe which because you 1 Sam. 16.4 few have trembled at their approach to their Ministers as the people did when Samuel drew near 12. Their niggardliness to them Your Niggardliness to your Ministers is none of the least of your sins and therefore I shall take liberty to enlarge upon it If mens titles to their Cottages their water-courses their wayes their easements be questioned presently a Lawyer is see'd we will be at any cost to settle the world surely ours if our health be in danger the
you cannot so exhort as Ministers c. But have you not been told that God can work by small means as well as by great and that by things that are not God can confound the wisdome of the flesh and bring to naught the things that are Is not this like the pretence of not being eloquent Do you not know have you not heard that the issue and event depends on the blessng of the Lord rather than on the work it self Is it not all one to the Lord to wound by a short as by a long sword Cannot God bless a few words in thy mouth as he did in Christs and the Apostles Can'st not thou say follow Christ and may not presently a Matthew a Publican leave his sinfull courses and embrace the Christian faith Can'st thou not say Repent and Believe that your sins may be blotted out and may not God concur with thee as he did of old times Is the Lords hand shortned that it cannot help If Israel be not gathered yet thy reward is with the Lord if thine heart were upright and could testifie that night and day thou hast not ceased to warn to rebuke and counsel Certainly your memories are not so bad but you must remember the weight of sin and of the wrath of God you have seen the wonders of the Lord in the deeps you that have escaped to shoar can tell of the Rocks and Shelves and Storms which you have been delivered from and will you set other Shipwrack their Souls rather than hold out your light unto them 〈…〉 may avoyd their ruines What shall I say to humble you There is more 〈◊〉 in Hell than you can afford Blush blush and be ashamed to have less zeal love and pitty to perishing Souls than Dives in Hell had he would have his Brethren saved from the Valley of Hinnom Your silence will make others think that Hell is a tollerable place that sin is not so evil and bitter a thing that to lye under Gods wrath is not so great a misery whilst you are so slow and backward to warn your Friends and Acquaintance that they slee from these and take Sanctuary in the true City of Refuge the Lord Jesus Christ O! If you know the worth of a Soul pitty the multitude with whom the day is not broke whose forlorn Souls are under a continual Massacre from the bloudy Butcher of Hell Besmear your Souls no longer with the guilt of their bloud Let them not starve for want of bread whilst you have to give them I shall bless God for ever and ever if this your negligence of the Souls of those whom you may account without may be cordially bewailed and you for the future double your diligence for their conversion Ministers cannot convert without the Concourse of Omnipotency neither can you Though Satan and thy own lazy heart hath told thee thou art unfit to set upon this work yet better do it meanly than wholy omit it God like Parents on earth loves to see his Children lift at those duties which are too hard for them and then he steps in and is a Co-worker with them What God did by illiterate Fishermen by Priscilla he can do by thee The Lord pardon thy former unmercifulness to the Souls of men But if thou continue careless and cruel if thou wilt not by Prayers for them and counsels to them seek their reducement as sure as thou art reading the voyce of thy Brothers blood is crying against thee from the earth By your example before if not since Profession you have been the cause of the destruction of Souls of how many who can tell And as Jeroboam made Israel to sin many years after he was rotten in his grave so your sin your wicked examples may propagate the trade of sin from generation to generation until Christ shall come to Judgement Tremble tremble at the thoughts of it if thou hast not the heart of a Beast in thee O! how many Souls are crying in Hell against thee cursing the day they knew thee or their Ancestours knew thee for that by thee they learned to sin the more and were strengthned in their wickedness by thy tongue and by thy life And now are not you bound to do your utmost to make restitution to labour to save them that be alive Is it not reasonable that you should labour to win Souls to Gods as you have to the Devils service and to have many blessing God in the Heavens for you that ever they were in the company of such an active zealous Christian who by word and life was instrumental to bring them to the knowledge of themselves and of their God And is it not a glorious work to hold forth such Light to the World that they seeing your good works may glorifie God and you may be Propagators of Zeal and Holiness from Generation to Generation till Christ shall appear to judge the World and to reward you for all the services you have done to his Name O! how welcome shall that man be to Heaven and Christ who hath fed the Souls and clothed the Souls and visited the Souls which he hath purchased with his own precious blood Christ will own thee for his Benefactour CHAP. XXXVII The Dis-ingenuity and Scandalousness of their Miscarriages WHen God had given the Prophet Ezekiel a large Catalogue of Judah's Abominations The wickedness of the former miscarriages Ezek. 8.9 V. 6 13 15. he then shew'd him the Wickedness of their Abominations He said unto me Goe in and Behold the wicked Abominations they do here He commanded him once and again and again to turn him yet again and he should see greater Abominations I cannot indeed promise thee that thou shalt now see greater Abominations than those already mentioned All that I shall now do shall be to represent the former Miscarriages in their crimson dye and scarlet colour And The First Thing I shall mention Commitred against so good and kind a God Eph. 4.30 as making your Sins Professours out of measure sinful is your Dis-ingenuity in so sinning against God O! You have sinned against a gracious God You have grieved the good Spirit of God whereby some amongst you have been sealed to the day of Redemption I am bold to say that one godly man's sinning against light and mercy doth more break the heart of God than the bruitish Sins of a Pagan Kingdom Ezek. 6.9 I am broken saith God with your whorish heart which hath departed from me c. And ye shall loath your selves for your evils which ye have committed in your abominations Amos 2.13 God hath been press'd down with your sins as the Cart with sheaves till he hath even Creak'd under the weight God expected more from the Treet planted in Zion than from the wild ones in the Wilderness Luke 13.9 Grief and Burthen springs much from unexpected Unkindnesses I looked for Fruit and there was none How were David's and Saul's Sins aggravated from
Fathers and I said I will never break my covenant with you and ye shall make no league with the Inhabitants of this land c. but ye have not obeyed my voice why have ye done this c. And it came to pass when the Angel of the Lord spake these words to all the Children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept Secondly Very scandalously The scandalousness of your miscarriages is another aggravation of them Had all the forementioned abominations been committed in Defarts and Holes of the earth where none had been privy to your irregularities you had had no sin in comparison of what you now stand justly charged with If you had been only rotten hearted that would not have been under the eye and censure of the World Religion would have had no blemish no loss no considerable loss thereby But men have looked to your hands and feet whilst God to your hearts and finding so many defilements on you hereby the Name of God hath been blasphemed God is spoken evil of whilst you have done evil before men You knew the world was an observing world greedy to espy all the Errata's of your lives you knew spots in Cambrick would sooner be marked than in course cloth you knew how apt the world was to condemn all Saints for the miscarriages of a few pretenders to Christianity you knew how the world lay in wait like the Arabian for his prey waiting for somewhat to calumniate Christ and his followers with you knew the tongues that are set on fire of Hell would belch out their emnity upon the sight of your sins you knew how apt they were to be prejudiced against you and as the people in Elies dayes from the miscarriages of them that pretended to draw near to God would by your occasion abhorre the Offerings of the Lord. 1 Sam. 2.17 1 Pet. 3.16 2 Sam. 12.14 2 Tim. 2.26 You should have walked with such a good Conscience that whereas the world would speak against you as evil-doers they might be ashamed But insteed of this you have opened the mouth of Blasphemy you have gratified the Devil exceedingly were he capable of joy you have furthered it by being contented to be winnowed by him and to be led captive at his will The scandals of men reputed for holiness have been his greatest Harvests his greatest advantages He hopes by the falls of Cedars to break down and crush the Shrubs and tender plants that grow nigh God alone knows what mischief you have done to Religion already and where the mischief will end Jeroboam made Israel to sin many years after his death Whereas ye should have left a precious Name behind you holy exact copies of Righteousness for succeeding generations to write after you have laid the stumbling block of your iniquitie before the faces of hundreds and thousands to cause them to fall Give over wondring that for these last ten years the Gospel hath had a a miscarrying Womb and dry Breasts know you have like the Serpent the Dragon stood as in the place of bearing you have hindred the Birth or devoured the Child as soon as Born you have been of the old generation of Gods Curse you would not to Heaven your selves Luke 11.52 and hindred others that would if you had not laid your offences in their way Perhaps some of you may think to relieve your selves that you know none are taken in these Gins and Traps you will know shortly that he that tempteth to evil commits an hainous sin though his temptation prove not effectual God will not reward men altogether by the event of scandals but by the tendency of Scandal in its own nature Others not sinning after your example will not excuse and lessen your faults which were so apt to lead them into sin Matth. 18.17 Wo saith Christ to him by whom the offence comes Wo to them that take offence but greater wo to them that give it If God threatned Eli to take him up by the roots for not punishing Scandals in his Sons 1 Sam. 3.13 because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not What dreadfull judgements are we exposed to who are the offence-givers Wonder not if having caused many to stumble at the Law that God will make us contemptible and base before all the people Ye are departed out of the way Mal. 2.8 9. ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people How oft have we been as unsavoury Salt Mat. 5.13 and is it any wonder if we be cast out and thrown to the Dunghill O that you would remember David take him into your Closet with you he was scandalous in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba it is true he repented in dust and ashes he abhorred himself made his bed to swim the sin was pardoned the guilt thereof removed a solemn absolution was sent him by a Prophet and yet how did God follow him with misery upon misery He might in the death of the Child in the defilement of his Daughter in the murder of Ammon and in the treason of Absolon in his weeping and going barefoot in his Concubines being defiled and his own Crown and Life jeoparded in all these things he might see the woful fruits of Scandal 2 Sam. 12.9 10 11 12 13 14. Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord to do evil in his sight Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the Sword and hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife and hast slain him with the Sword of the Children of Ammon Now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thine House c. Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own House and I will take thy Wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy Wives in the sight of the Sun For thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Child also that is born unto thee shall surely dye If David repenting of his Scandals be thus punished what will become of you who have made Religion to be abhorred and yet are insensible unbroken and unhumbled to this very day Well may unrepented of Scandals lye in your bones many dayes hence Psal 51.8 Psal 38.8 seeing David's did yea he roared because of his sin Well may you goe drooping to your graves being bereft of all joy and comfortable looks from Heaven whilst repenting David lost so long the joy of Gods salvation Psal 51.12 What shall I say O all ye