Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	day_n	great_a	sin_n	10,727	5	4.5334	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57946	A vvarning to England: or, The nations looking-glass Wherein they may plainly see what are those good things, that are with-held by the sins of the nations. Also, vvhat are those national sins, which withold good things from us. Some of these have been lately endeavoured to be surprest by act of Parliament. To which is added, An earnest exhortation, to break off our sins by a timely repentance, least the Lord break forth in wrath against us. By Robert Russel, in Sussex, author of the Book of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. Licensed according to order.	Russel, Robert, fl. 1692.	1695 (1695)	Wing R2348D; ESTC R220004	13,301	25

outward gestures of the body O let the great ones of this Land have a care that they do not lye under that threatning denounced against proud persons Isa 3. from ver 16. to the end That because the Daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth weeks walking and mincing as they go and making a tinckling with their feet therefore in that day the Lord will take away their bravery their chains brasless and mufflers their Rings and changable suits of Apparel their mantles wimples and crisping pins their glasses fine linnen hoods and vails c. But this is not all there is a worser judgment threatened in the two last verses Their Men shall fall by the sword and their mighty Men in War c. O that the Inhabitants of this nation would break off this sin by Repentance least the like Judgment should speedily fall upon them for sure pride is a great sin that hinders good things from us Seventhly and lastly I will name but one National Sin more that with-holds good things from us and that is Sabbath-breaking and this is a sin that reigns very much in this land tho ' there has been good and wholesome Laws set out by Act of Parliament against the common prophanation of the Lord's day yet I think the generality of people now a days do but little regard either the laws of God or Man and a great many there be tho they dare not work at their callings on the Lords day yet they will besure to chuse that day above all the rest to go and visit their friends and to make merry amongst their sinful Companions and sometimes ride abroad about unnecessary ●u●iness because they cannot spare time on other days O how careful are a great many to pise early on the week days and work later than ordinarily on Saturday nights thinking that when the ●ords day comes then they may that morning rest themselves in their beds never considering to what end that day was given them nor what is to be done on that day and when the King and Parliament was graciously pleased to set a part days of fasting and humiliation for the sins of the nation that by fasting and praying God might avert and remove those judgments that bang over our heads yet these days were but little minded by a great many for when a fast day came they could not spare time from their worldly imployments to attend on God in publick and many others tho' they do go to church as soon as publick exercise is ended away they go to the Ale-house to drinking thus they seem to keep a fast but it is but a mock fast instead of keeping that day in offering up unto God an humble and contrite heart-for their sins and the sins of the nation and importuning of God by their earnest prayers to remove those Judgments which hang over their heads instead of that they must go to satisfying of their lust Ah sinful people ah nation laden with iniquity will you thus continue to provoke the Lord at all times will not the Lord be avenged on such doings as these but praised be the Lord that there are many in this nation that do keep a sincere fast unto the Lord and by their fervent and hearty prayers stand in the gap and stop God s Judgments from falling upon this sinful nation otherwise Woe had it been to us long before this time Beioved people you that are the inhabitants of this land if our gracious King and Governours will be pleased to set a part at any time another day of humiliation for the Lords sake let me prevail with you to spend that oue day wholly in exainining your hearts and lives in confessing and mourning for your sins and for the sins of the nation and resolving to break off your sins by repentance as the people of N●nive did that God may yet turn away from the sierceness of his wrath that we perish not A word or two of Application and I have done Beloved Friends you have seen here what those sins are that with-hold good things from us not only so but pulls down most heavy judgments upon our heads and I think these sins never so much abounded in this nation as they do now never was there so much swearing lying oppression cheating pride drunkenness and Sabbath-breaking as there reigns among us now in these days Beloved Friends for the Lords sake let us set upon the reforming of these sins break them off by a timely repentance I say for the Lords sake who is still patient and is loath to strike but forbears to the very utmost if it may be that we will yet turn to him methinks the Lord at this day is bemoaning England as once before I told you he bemoan'd Ephraim How shall I give thee up England how shall I deliver thee up into the hands of thy Enemys O that thou wouldest once reform and amend that my wrath may not yet break forth against thee Consider how the Lord hath timely given us warning by his word by signs and by his servants and still he forbears to strike and shall not we yet take warning until destruction comes at our backs O for the Lords sake reform amend if not for the Lords sake yet let us do it for our own sakes nay for the nations sake what pitty is it that we should by our sins pull down vengeance upon the whole nation nay lastly Friends let us all be prevailed with to break off our sins by repentance and amend our lives for the sake of William our King and Governour A few years ago when we were even at the brink of utter ruine and destruction and he out of tender love to these nations was graciously pleased to leave his habitation 〈◊〉 Holland and did venter thro' many difficultys l●wgers and did hazard his own life that he might ●ome to deliver us from bondage and slavery and ●et must we take this love and good-will so unkindly and so unthankfully so as to do what in us lyes by our sins and iniquities to pull down Gods judgments upon his head and the whole nation besides O what a dreadful thing this is to consider of Friends we have provoked God so much by our sins that God has threatened several times to remove him from us how often has he been very near to have been shot and yet for our sakes he preserved him and praised be his name still preserves shields him from the hands of his enemies It was but a little before the Queens death that there was a day of thanksgiving appointed for the Kings return home which was on the sabbath-Sabbath-day but O how sad it was to behold how the Lord's day was profaned in many Towns and Citys by Ringing shouting and making of bonfires but alas how soon was this our mirth and jollitry turn'd into mourning and truly friends I cannot out look upon the death of our gracious Queen which happen'd soon after no other wise than as part of Gods just Judgments to this nation as for their many other provocations so-particularly for that one abuse of the Lord's day and yet people will take no warning but run on still in the same prophanation of the Lord's day beloved Friends and inhabitants of this nation we have if I may so speak but one string to our how and if the Lord should be provoked by our sins by any means to remove from us our gracious King what can we look for then but utter Ruine and Destruction my Friends if ever the King and Parliament should appoint at any time another day of thanksgiving he exhorted to spend it in publick prayers and praises the rest of the day spend both in meditating and also in discoursing one another concerning God's wonderful works his mercies and miraculous deliverances in all Ages of the world particularly of our Redemption by Christ and of God's mercys to this nation And towards the end of the day let it be concluded in reading in your familys in expounding in singing Psalms in praying and praises now a day thus spent would resemble the life of the Saints in Heaven If this day of thanksgiving be on the Lord's day for the Lord's sake do not prophane it by drinking ringing shouting and bonnring as the custom has been and if our Rulers would be pleased to set a part a day in the week time which I think most convenient pray let it not be spent in such vanity and sooleries but in spiritual exercises and what money you intend to bestow in drinking and ringing and faggots you intend to give to be consumed in bonfires be exhorted to offer up these as a thanksgiving offering to God by beslowing them upon the poor and needy to feed and warm them with such sacrifice God will be well pleased such a thanks offering as this will ascend up as a sweet savour unto God whereby God's wrath will be pacified and will remove his Judgments from us and delight to do us good To conclude let us be exhorted to break off our ●ins by repentance and to amend our lives then God will bless and prosper our King and the whole nation and deliver us from all our Enemies then we shall yet see Happy Days and be blest with a lasting Peace and Plenty Which the Lord of his Insinite Mercy grant Amen

within this year or two several tokens of God's wroth against the inhabitants of this land for their u●g●dly doings even in keeping back from us these outward good things which we have expected some times God seemed to manifest the tokens of his anger by stopping the influences of the Heavens and threatning to dry up our Corn and Fruits by sending of a drought upon the land at other times when our Corn has been come to perfection and ripeness then God was pleased to manifest the tokens of his anger in threatning to deny us the enjoyment of it by sending of excessive Ruins in the time of harvest and now this last year it pleased Almighty God as a token of his anger against our evil doing to send a blast upon our Corn. Friends it is our sins our iniquities that procures these judgments Beloved Friends let us not murmur at God's dealings with us but rather let us admire his patience bounty toward us in that he hath but only sent to us the tokens of his anger and wrath the least mercy that we receive at his hands is more than we deserve If we consider what oppression cheating lying swearing cursing drunkenness and uncleanness reigns in this Nation we have reason to wonder at God's patience and long suffering towards us in that he bares with us so long and doth not send a Famine or some utter destruction Let us consider that it is our sins and evil doings that with holds the Rain from coming in its season and causes a drought upon the Land it is our sins that brings violent and unseasonable floods of Water to destroy the fruits of the earth it is our sins and iniquities that brings a blast and mildew upon our Corn and Fruits O therefore let every one of us turn from our ways and evil doings if ever we would delive God to turn from his fierce indignation that is gone forth against us but I fear there may be as just a complaint taken up against the inhabitants of this Nation as there was against the Jews in a verse or two before the Text That this people hath a revolting and rebe●ious heaert neither say they in their heart Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth us both the former and the latter Rain in its season he reserveth unto us the appointed Weeks of the harvest But saith the text your iniquities have turned away these things from you and your sins have with-holden good things from you even temporal good things Thirdly and lastly The sins of a people or nation keeps back and with holds from them National Good things When God's judgments hangs over a people or nation when wars troubles and confusion are abroad and when their Enemies are at their backs ready to invade them then when the same people go onstubbornly perversely in their wicked courses and will not be reformed and when God is working mercy and deliverance for them and they then take the more liberty to wollow in their abominations and to sin the more against the Lord and spurn against his mercies these doings makes themselves unsit for mercy and do as it were stay the hand of God and stop him in his proceedings The Lord our God is a God of Marcy it is his Nature to shew mercy and to work about deliverances but yet a wicked people many times pull down Judgments upon thier own heads by their ungodly and wicked doings Alas how loath is God to destrey a people or nation if there be any probability that they will at last Repent and turn from their evil ways How often did the Lord's own people Israel provoke him unto wrath by their many Rebellions against him and yet the Lord was gracious towards them and spared them and would not pour out all his wrath one time when they had provoked him so much by their sins that God was about to destroy them then Muses stood before him in the broach least he should destroy them At another time when the people had provokea the Lord by their Inventions he sent the plague among them the Lord was graciously pleased upon the prayers of Phinchas to Repent of that evil and remove his stroak from them Psal 106. Yea not withstanding they provoked him time after time with their Rebellions yet he wrought many deliverances for them But yet consider this the Lord did not always bear with them his patience was at last worn out his long-sufferance at last had an end he at last was provoked to sware in his wrath that they should never enter intohis rest We read that when God speaks of a stubborn rebellions people he tells them that h● is weary of Repenting thus he speaks to his own people here the people of Jerusalem Jer. 15.6 After their many and long provocations and wearying of his patience Who shall have pitty upon thee O Jerusalem who shall bemoan thee thou has● forsaken me saith the Lord thou art gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee to do stroy thee I am weary of repenting I am weary of Repenting Behold here how the Lord speaks after the manner of Men when the Lord is pleased b● his providencial dispensation to threaten a people 〈…〉 tokens of his wrath and indignation again them and then in the midst of Judgment thinks on mercy and so withdraws his hand and forbears to strike works about deliverance for them then the Lord is said to redent but then after a long time after many repentings of God after many turns of providence if that people or nation will not turn from their evil ways but will still continue resolutely and obstinately in their sins tho' they have many warnings threatnings mercies and judgments until Gods patience is quite worn out then God is said to be weary of Repenting thus it was with Gods people of old and thus God seems to be dealing with the Inhabitants of this nation When God has many times sent tokens of his wrath and displeasure against us for our sins and has been ready to strike then the Lord has been pleased graciously to call back his shroaks and has seemed to repent of the evil he was about to bring upon us thus God did gracibusly deal with us in the days of Queen Mary when many thousand poor souls suffered Martyrdom and when the whole Nation was next door to ruine and destruction then the Lord seemed to repent and wondersully stept in for our deliverance Thus in the time of King James the II. Gods hand of Justice was then up ready to strike the final stroak then there seemed in all outward appearance to be nothing but utter Ruine and destruction but yet in the very nick of time the Lord seemed to repent of the evil that he was a bringing upon this nation and in the midst of ●dgment thought upon Mercy and mercifully brought in our gracious Soveraign King William to be the happy Instrument of

our deliverance And many a time when our malicious enemies ha●● been a plotting working about our destruction God has been a working about our deliverance bringing to nought their wicked devices but ye●● let us assure our selves that if we donot in time repent turn from the evil of our ways but continua still provoking him to wrath his Repentings will have an end his patience will be worn out the he will pour out his wrath to the utmost and destroy us utterly for if after all his smiting of us 〈◊〉 delivering of us we will still walk contrary to him He will walk contrary to us will punish us seve● times more for our sins until he hath consume us as he hath threatened Deut. 26. Therefore now whilst the I ord is going forth against us 〈◊〉 a way of wrath it would be our wisdom to me●● him by true and unfeigned Repentance and the he will meet us in love and mercy and delight 〈◊〉 do us good for God declares himself the Lor● God gracious and merciful slow to anger and 〈◊〉 great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Alas how loath is God to destroy a people 〈◊〉 nation if there be any hopes at all of their 〈◊〉 turn O how doth the Lord expostulate with 〈◊〉 phraim when he is going to destroy them h●● doth his Bowels seem to be troubled when he about to smite saying How shall I give thee 〈◊〉 Ephraim how shall I deliver thee I srael how sh●● I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as 〈◊〉 boim my heart is turned within me my Repent is are kindled together I will not execute the fiercen●● 〈◊〉 mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim For I am God and not Man He sea 11.8 9. Thus ●ere when Popery and Slavery was coming upon ●●s apace and our gracious King William was step●ing in for our deliverance then the Lord seemed ●o be bemoaning of England saying How shall I ●ive thee up England how shall I deliver thee up ●●to the hands of thine Enemies my Bowels are tur●ed within me I will not destroy England O therefore Friends let us not run on in sin after such a ●ate as we do offending and grieving so gracious 〈◊〉 God lest his patience should be quite worn out ●nd he be weary of Repenting so be provoked ●o deliver us over into the hands of our Enemies ●nd consume us utterly Consider what great ●hings the Lord hath already done for this sinful ●ation and greater Blessings he would yet bestow ●pon us if our sins did not stop him Almighty God seems now to be expostulating with England ●s once he did with his people of old Psa 81.13 14 15. O that my people had hearkened unto me and England had walked in my ways I should soon have subdued their Enemies and turned my hand against ●●eir Adversaries the haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto them he would have fed ●●em and satisfied them with the finest of the Wheat ●●d honey out of the Rocks O that England would once repent and turn from her evil ways how ●●ickly would the Lord turn away his anger from 〈◊〉 how quickly would he put an end to our wars and Troubles how soon would he bring 〈◊〉 a lasting Peace and Tranquility amongst us ●●d would rejoice over us to do us good but it is the sins of a people or nation that withhold good things from them even national good things Thus I have dispatcht the first part of my text which was to shew you what are those good thing that the sins of a nation or people do with-hold from them they are Spiritual Good Things Temporal Good Things and National Good Things Secondly The second part of my Text is to she● you what are those common sins that with-hold Good Things from a People or Nation No● the Prophet Hosea gives us a Catalogue of some 〈◊〉 them Hosea ● 2. By Swearing Lying Killing Stealing committing Adultery they break o●● and blood touches blood therefore shall the Land mour●● Now the sins of England which with-holds Good Things from them are such as these I sh●● name some few of them which are the chief First the first sin which I shall here mention that with holds Good Things from a Nation is Swearin● and Cursing O how dreadful it is to hear ●●cked Wretches when they are drinking in a A●e-house and at other times belch out the Hellish Oaths O it many times makes ones hea●ach to hear how they swear at almost every wo●● they speak by the Name of God by Blood and Wounds and such like horrible Oaths notwithstanding that Act of Parliament which has late come out against the sin of Swearing yet I cannot see that people are much more afraid to swear 〈◊〉 Oath Surely as the Prophet saith Jer. 23.10 Be cause of swearing the Land mourneth And if ev●● this our ●and mourned under this grievous by ●len it mourns now at this day nay and if Swearing be not bad enough many in their Rage and Fury fall a cursing of one another yea cursing of themselves too nay and that which is worst of ●ll many have been heard to curse themselves to the pit of Hell and wish damnation upon themselves I can tell you of a man which I saw but a little while ago being a little in drink I heard him call upon God to damn his soul at almost every word he spoke O what a most dreadful Impre●ation this is that people must wish eternal ●amnation upon themselves O Sinner what if God should indeed take thee at thy word that as ●oon as the word Damn me is out of thy mouth he hould send some sudden stroak of vengeance or other upon thee and send thee immediately out of this world into Eternal Damnation I tell thee ●nner it is just with God to do it and indeed thou have great cause to expect every time the like imprecation comes out of thy mouth that he ●hould clap the like Judgment immediately upon ●●y head then thou canst not but acknowledge ●hat God hath given thee no worse than thou didst wish upon thy self and didst call upon him for ●ay some there are that are so inclinable to the ●ns of Cursing and Swearing and Railing and ●vil-speaking that they infect their Off-spring with the like Vices there poor Children as soon is they come to be of any bigness how quickly ●o they learn these Hellish Arts of their parents ●nd elders so that in many Towns and Streets where children are playing together they have ●een heard to curse and swear one at another in a dreadful manner and some have been heard to call one another all to nought as Dog Rogue and I know not what as I gave a hint of in my little Book being a second part for children Obj. But many Parents will be ready to say that it is not they that teach their children but the

children learn one of another Ans To this I answer It is true that young ones having a vitious nature which they brought with them into the world they are naturely backward to learn any good but very inclinable to learn evil even one of another but pray consider where the foundation lyes all this while it is the Parents many times are the first Instructers in evil we have had in our days many proofs of this for some ungodly Parents have been many times heard to gape at their own children when they would not come at their call and would not do just as they would have them they have been heard to curse and swear at them and call them all to nought and so the poor children think that they may use the like words and expressions one to another and then if these children happen into the company of those children whose parents are godly and who labour to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord yet how quickly do they learn vitious and foul language of the others and so by this means ordinarily young ones learn one of another O Friends are not your children prone enough to evil of themselves but you must infuse sinful Vices into their corrupted Nature O you that are parents and governours of children let me beseech you to consider what you are doing when you are mouthing at your children and a using foul language in their hearing that you are a doing your endeavour to infect whole Towns and Families with wicked Vices nay and the whole Nation it self and so hasten God's wrath and Judgment upon the whole Nation Secondly Another National Sin which keeps Good Things from us is Oppression Deceit Treachery and Unjust Dealing and indeed there is so much of these sins reigns in this our Nation that it is to be feared that Oppression Treachery and Deceit will at last be the utter Ruine of this Nation Behold how God complains of his Vineyard the Land of Israel Isa 5.7 He looked for Righteousness and behold Oppression for Judgment and behold a cry Oh! may not the Lord justly complain the like of this Nation that he looked for Righteousness Justice and Equity to be in it and there is nothing in it but Oppression Unjustness and Deceit The poor and needy beg at the Rich Mens doors for Relief but the most had rather consume pounds upon their Lust than to spare one half shilling for the Relief of the Needy And many Farmers there are in the Nation Oh! how do they wish for a Dearth and watch for an opportunity to raise the price of their Corn and thereby oppress and grind the faces of the poor and needy that they might hoard of Riches unto themselves and the poor Laborours they must be oppressed of their wages there are many poor Labourers now a days are fain to toil themselves early and late to get a poor maintainance for themselves and their Families and in the mean time those that hire them study how to abate them in their wages And likewise what a deal of Oppression and Deceit there is amongst us in buying and selling the Buyer he will Oppress the Seller by debasing his wares and will not give so much as he knows they are worth and the Seller he will endeavour to oppress the Buyer by exalting his Ware above the worth and will tell the Buyer that his Wares cost him more than they really did and the Buyer crys out it is naught it is naught and when he is gone away then he boasteth Pro. 20.14 I verily think that there never was so much Oppression so much Deceit as there is now in these days deceitful wares deceitful weights deceitful measures deceitful money and deceitful doings that sure it is for our Oppression Iniustice Treachery and Deceit that the Lord with-holds good things from us Thirdly Another National Sin is Drunkenness and I think never did this sin so much abound in this Nation as it doth now in these our days many men complain that every thing is dear and that they can hardly get money for their necessary use and grutch to spare a penny for a deed of Charity and yet can find shillings to consume in an Ale house many times I have been at places where there has been drinking playing singing and ranting almost a whole night together now there is a woe pronounced against such Isa 5.22 Woe to them that are mighly to drink Wine and Mon of strength to mingle strong drink O how sad it in to see how Drunkenness abounds in every City in every Town and Street in this Nation O how much precious time is wasted away in Drunkenness Voluptiousness and the works of the Flesh surely these sins of Drunkenness Volupteousness Fornication Uncleanness and all other Works of the Flesh are a means to with-hold all good things from us Fourthly Another National Sin is neglect of Family Dutys most that are Governours of Familys scarce so much as pray in their Familys once a Week they are careful to call upon their Servants to do their work but never mind them of the concern of their immortal souls There is a severe threatning goes against such Jer. 10.21 That the Lord will pour out his fury upon the Heathens that know him not and upon the Nations that call not an his Name But I have wrought something of this in my book of Joshuas Resolution to serve the Lord therefore I will say no more of it here Fifthly Another National Sin is Unfruitfulness under the means of grace though they have Reproof upon Reproof Sabbath upon Sabbath Line upon Line Preceipt upon Preceipt though they enjoy Sermon Opportunitys Sacrament Opportunitys Praying Opportunitys yet for the generality of them they are never the better they go on in a Customary Road of Dutys but take no care to reform their hearts and lives now we that are unfruitful under all means of grace what can we expect but that the Kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from us and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof And to be cu● down by the A● of Gods judgments because we are but cumbers of the ground Luke 13. Sixthly Another National sin that I shall here mention is Pride especially pride in Apparel and sure never did this sin reign so much both in City and Country as it does in our days and if England be destroyed is is thought that pride will be a great cause of its Ruine for how do our Ladys and great Ones invent new fashions some must go with powdered hair some with spotted faces and some again with high heads so that they appear more like Moorish Dancers than like sober devout Christians But some will be ready to say that pride lyes not in the dress but in the heart To this I answer that as meat may be known whether it be sweet or sower by the tast even so pride in the heart does often discover it self by the

A VVARNING TO England OR THE Nations Looking-Glass WHEREIN They may plainly see what are those Good Things that are with-held by the sins of the Nation ALSO VVhat are those National Sins which withhold Good Things from us Some of these have been lately endeavoured to be surprest by Act of Parliament To which is Added An earnest Exhortation to break off our Sins by a timely Repentance least the Lord break forth in wrath against us By Robert Russel in Sussex Author of the Book of the Unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost Hosea 4.2 By Swearing Lying Killing and Stealing the land mourns Licensed according to Order Printed for J. Blare on London-Bridge A Warning to ENGLAND c. Jer. 5.25 Your Iniquities have turned away these things And your Sins have with-holden good things from you AMongst the many Books that I have formerly wrote I think it now very necessary at last to write a Book whereby people may be convinced of their evil ways and wicked practices hoping that by the special Blessing of God the Inhabitants of this Nation may reform their lives and turn to God by unfeigned Repentance so that God may avert those judgments which the sins of this Nation do daily cry aloud for and are continually hanging over our heads Many there are as I have told you in my book of Joshua's resolution to serve the Lord complain of the badness of the times because trading is so low money so dead taxes so great and the wars continuing thus long still expecting the end of the wars and the coming of good peaceable times But Friends deceive not your selves you cannot expect good peaceable times so long as wickedness abounds so in the land as it doth For I verily think that since the time that England has been a Nation there never was more prophaneness and ungodliness than there is now there never was more swearing cursing cheating oppressing lying prophaning the Sabbath and all manner of uncleaness as there reigns amongst us in these our days this Land certainly is like another Sodom for wickedness therefore instead of hoping for better times we have just cause to fear that except there be a timely Reformation amongst us some sader stroak of Vengeance will fall on this nation than yet has befallen us People complain because the times are bad and because these troubles are continued so long among us whereas they themselves are the cause 't is their sins that stands as a cloud and ●tops good things from descending upon them As the Prophet tells us in the words of my Text Your Iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have with-helden good things from you The Doctrin which I shall raise from these words shall be this That it is the sins of a people or nation that keeps back Mercy and hinders good things from coming upon it This whole chapter contains a discovery of God's judgments upon the Jews for their transgressions the substance of which is sum'd up in short in the Text Your Iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have with-holden good things from you Now from the Text we have considerable these two things First To shew you what are those good things which sin doth with-hold from a people or nation Secondly What are those sins which do keep back mercy and hinders good things from coming unto a people or nation And so I shall conclude all with a word or two of Application I begin with the first to shew you what are those good things which sin doth with-hold from a people or nation Now those good things that sin doth with-hold I shall reduce into these three Ranks First Spiritual good things Secondly Tem●●● good things Thirdly National good things First Sin doth with-hold from a people or nation spiritual good things Now those spiritual good things which sin doth with-hold from a people are such as the pardon and forgiveness of all their sins the special love and favour of God through Jesus Christ revealed to their souls in the full and free pardon of their sins the saving graces of God's spirit to change them and renew them these are those special and excellent good things which sin doth commonly deprive a people of God has in his great mercy to our souls given us all his ordinary ways and means whereby these spiritual blessings might be procured he has given us his Word his Gospel his Ministers his Day and Ordinances Now in the careful and diligent use of these means God has promised to give his Son and with him all the saving graces of his spirit b●● if a people will slight and contemn the Ordinance of God and will love and delight in their sins and follow the lust and carnal desires of their own hearts God many times in justice leaves them to their own hearts lust that because they love and delight to be wicked and unclean and will be so and never care to seek to the Lord by fasting and prayer and by using the means prescribed in his word for the graces of his spirit to change and renew them Therefore it is God's order and way in justice to give such over to obdurancy and hardness of heart so that they will be wicked and unclean still For this cause saith the Apostle Rom. 1. God gave them up to vile affections and to uncleanness to follow the dosires of their own hearts Thus God dealt with his own people the Jews Psa 81.12 that because they would not hearken to his voice and would have none of him therefore he gave them up to their own lusts and they walked in their own counsel Friends it is our sins our wilful fins our continued rebellion against God that hinders spiritual good things from descending into our own souls it is our delighting and living in sin that hinders our prayers from being granted and that hinders our services from being accepted If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me saith David Psa 66.18 God declares himself not only willing but able to bestow the choicest of his blessings upon those that seek him in the use of means Isa 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear But saith the Prophet in ver 2. your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins hath hid his face from you that he will not hear It is a peoples sins that with-holds good things from them even spiritual good things Secondly The sins of a people or nation keeps back from them temporal good things also our blessed Saviour has promised Mat. 6. that if we s ek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof that then all outward good things shall be added unto us But our seeking to please the flesh and to satisfie our lust and living in sinful ways this hinders the stream of God's blessing from descending upon this our land Have we not seen