thee whence shall I help thee intimating that it was out of his Power and God only could supply her so when the great God declares by his Judgments I even I am against thee then it is the Language of all created Beings If God do not help we cannot it is natural and common for Persons in extream danger to seek out for help some way or other but when God sets himself against a People their Fingers are rapt off from Creatural helps see what God speaks by the Prophet Zeph. 1.17 18. I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like Blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their Blood shall be poured out as Dust and their Flesh as Dung. V. 18. Neither their Silver nor their Gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath c. You see hence that vain is the help of any Creature when God is against a People Power Policy Wealth will avail nothing for Safety when God declares by his Judgment I even I am against thee Therefore it is the worst of Judgments Thus you have the Reasons which evince the Truth of this awful Doctrine I now come to make some brief Application of the whole The Application of the Doctrine is this If this be so as you hear it is Of all Judgments for the great God to manifest or declare himself against a People or a Nation is the worst and forest then 1. From hence we may plainly see the evil and Mischievous Nature and Consequence of Sin wheresoever and by whomsoever it is committed and continued in without Repentance and Reformation it sets the great God and his Creatures at variance one with another Therefore saith the Lord God I even I am against thee as in the Text And wherefore Because ye have multiplied more than the Nations that are round about you and ye have committed greater Abominations in my sight than the very Heathens you have been in your Morals more defective than they neither have done according to the Judgments of the Nations that are round about you You have been more false to Me the true God than they have been to their false gods you have excell'd them in Wickedness Therefore behold I even I am against you c. So as you may plainly see what was the cause of the great Controversie God had with them even their great Abominations and so if we ask Wherefore is Wrath gone out from the Lord against these Kingdoms why doth the Lord contend with us by the wasting Sword and impoverishing Judgments it is because of the Iniquities that are in our Skirts as Israels ways and doings procured to them destroying Judgments so have ours in England pull'd down desolating Calamities upon us may it not too truly be said of us in England as the Prophet speaks in Jerusalems Caralogue of Sins Ezek. 22.7 8 9 10 11 12. In thee have they set light by Father and Mother in the midst of thee have they dealt by Oppression with the Stranger in thee have they vexed the Fatherless and the Widow thou hast despised mine holy things and hast prophaned my Sabbaths And scarce one mentioned but the like horrid Abominations are to be found in the midst of us and when the Lord did for these things manifest himself against them yet that which was worst of all is this Ver. 30. I sought for a Man among them that should make up the Hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none How was not Jeremiah with them and Ezekiel it 's concluded was in Babylon and Jeremiah they would not hearken unto but it was among them that the Lord lookt for one to stand up and reform and amongst them there was none therefore was Indignation poured out upon them would to God this were not too much our present Case Well if of all Judgments for the great God to manifest himself against a People or a Nation be the worst and forest then see what our Sins have done now in the midst of us the Lord help us to confider before it be too late 2. If this be so then we have just Cause to condole the general Supineness Stupidity and Carelesness that Reigns amongst all forts at this day altho it 's most evident that God hath a controversie with us Ah alas where is the Person who hath a becoming Sense of the Judgments of God in the midst of us how few now God is gone from the Cherub to the Threshold do sigh and cry for all the Abominations done in the midst of us Ezek. 9.4 There 's little hope of the Patients recovery when he is insensible of his Disease and Danger so there is little hope of better times while there is such a general Lethargy hath seized the Spirits of most in this Land That 's our present Case which the Prophet complains of Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is listed up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed c. Well if it be as you hear we have great Reason to lament the general Stupidity that abounds in the midst of us at this day when God is executing his Judgments in the midst of us 3. If it be so that of all Judgments this is the forest for God to declare himself against a People or a Nation then what cause have we to stand and admire yea and adore the Infinite Patience of God towards us That notwithstanding he is executing Judgments in the midst of us yet he hath not made a full End of us nor overthrown us quite for our Abominations as he did Sodom and Gomorrah At this day is fulfilled and made good that Word by the Prophet Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. When Advantage is given we are for taking it one of another this is the way of Men too often one with another but God doth not deal thus with us after the manner of Men for in the midst of Judgments he remembers Mercy Although God by terrible things in Righteousness answers us yet we must own here is great Mercy commixt with Judgment for he that hath with his immediate hand upon the Fleet swept away so many precious Souls and overturnd so much of our Wealth might with the same stroak have spared none to give us a report of what God hath done against us in the sight of the Nations Well as it 's less than deserved so it 's enough to make us fear and tremble before Him and since he hath manifestly a controversie with us we should admire Divine Goodness in giving warning and adore Infinite Patience that all was not consumed in Wrath and that we are yet a People and not destroyed I come to a Word of Exhortation for I shall hasten to conclude not delighting to insist upon such Tragical Subjects but the hand of God hath ingaged
the Duty of a faithful Watchman and not fearing to give them Disturbance in their sleepy secure State he lets them understand what eminent Dangers their great Abominations had brought them into for as much as now God did manifestly declare himself to be against them In the preceding Verse I find the Prophet in the Name of God charges them with their Wickedness thus because ye multiplyed more than the Nations that are round about you some by this understand the 〈…〉 manifold Blessings and signal Favours which God gave them and should have been improved to thankfulness and Obedience to God but were not but I humbly conceive it rather relates to their Sins because ye multiplied more than the Nations that are round about you in Sin thy Transgressions have been more and of a deeper Dye than theirs thou hast more grievously offended than the very Heathens that know not God and the following Words explain it And have not walked in my Statutes neither have kept my Judgments neither have done according to the Judgments of the Nations that are round about you i. e. The Heathens have been more saithful to their false Gods than you have been to Me the only True God they have by the Light of Nature been more stedfast to their cruel Injunctions than you have been to my Holy and Divine Institutions they have been stedfast to their Gods but you have been given to change and not only to comply with them but you have exceeded them in Sin and Guilt Therefore thus saith the Lord God I even I c. In the Words you have these things considerable 1. An Argumentative awful Preface Therefore thus saith the Lord God Wherefore Because ye multipti'd more than the Nations that are round about you You excell'd them in Sin and Wickedness 2. You have a necessary Duty call'd for and required from them Behold the Word imports the Clearness Certainty and Awfulness of the things he is about to Denounce and Declare as being somewhat extraordinary which duely weighed by them might make their Ears Tingle to hear it and cause their Hearts to tremble to Meditate upon it for it 's the worst and severest of Judgements Thus saith the Lord God I even I am against thee c. 3. You have the Subject matter it self which I can scarce without Horror and Trepidation mention I even I am against thee mark the Congemmination I even I not once I but twice I even I that it might make the greater Impression upon them I that formerly set my Heart upon you am now wean'd from you I that chose you before other Nations not because you were more than others but only because I had a Favour for you I even I that took you into special Covenant with my self do now declare against you I that have Graciously superintended you do now take my Heart off from you I that have wrought wonders for you in the sight of the Nations I that have preserved you alive in Famine I that deliver'd you out of the Hands of the Cruel Tyrant Pharaoh I that divided the Red-Sea that fed you in the Wilderness I that have carried you as upon Eagles Wings all your days I that have been a Father and a Friend to you I even I am against you my Heart can't be toward you nor can I bear with you any longer 4. You have the plain Evidence and full Confirmation of this his being turn'd to be their Enemy And will execute Judgments in the midst of thee I will not only shake the Rod over you but I will lay it heavy upon you and you shall smart and groan under it sensibly What I will do in my fury shall not be done in a Corner or upon a part of you but in the midst of you I will strike at the very Heart you shall feel it for I will execute Judgments one upon another in the midst of you you shall be sick of my Smiting and groan under my heavy Judgments in the midst of you my Heart shall not Pity my Hand shall not help you but I will with my immediate Hand afflict you with Judgments one on the Neck of another in the midst of you 5. You have the fore Aggravation of it and that in the sight of the Nations round about as your Sins have been so shall your Sufferings be you dishonour'd me with your Abominations before the Heathens and I will execute my Judgments before the Nations You have not ceas'd to prophane my Name before them and in their sight will I vindicate my great Name and shew that I am of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity they that beheld your Sins shall be Spectators of my Judgments in the midst of you Therefore thus c. From the Words I shall Collect and Depose several Doctrines but shall speak more fully to the last of them Doct. 1. That Ministers of the Gospel like faithful Watchmen must give their People warning of apprehended present and approaching Judgments So did the Prophet and so must all others if they will be faithful to Christ and the precious Souls they are to watch over We must declare what of the Night and like Paul keep back nothing that we might have their Record that we are clear from the Blood of all men Acts 20.27 Isa 58.1 There faith God to the Prophet Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins Doct. 2. That whatsoever Personal Family or National Judgments befall a People it is certain that Sin is the meritorious procuring cause of them It 's Sin that is the Teeming Mother of all Mischief the procuring cause of all Calamities whatsoever Its that which lets in all Misery and causeth Destruction to come in upon a People like an armed Man or an overflowing Flood Therefore thus saith the Lord God c because ye multipli'd more than c. It was Jerusalems Abominations which inevitably brought their Desolations and it 's Englands Sins that cause God to execute Judgments in the midst of us at this day If Sin abounds without controul Judgments will follow Ezek. 14.23 for he doth nothing without a cause and it 's not difficult to relate what is the Cause of great Anger being gone out from the Lord against this Land not the late Deliverance which God graciously wrought for us as some little better than Papists dream but our not improving so unspeakable a Mercy to an obliged Reformation Doct. 3. In all the Judgments which are executed upon a People God himself hath a Hand in it and sometimes more visibly than at other times Amos 3.6 Isai â—2 24 25. Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his Law Therefore he hath poured upon him the Fury of his Anger and the strength of
me in it beyond my Intention a few days past Therefore By way of Exhortation Is this so that of all Judgments for the great God to declare himself against a People or a Nation is the worst and forest that can befall us then what shall I press upon you sure I need not exhort you to Credit the Truth of this It will be easily granted by all that have their Senses exercised to discern Divine Truth therefore I address my self to exhort you to these following things 1. Place Be perswaded and conclude that the great God hath a Controversie with these sinful Kingdoms it 's not hard to prove it God doth by his Frowning Dispensations evidently declare it by what he hath formerly and of late done in the midst of us he now as in the Text loudly cries in our Ears I even I am against thee Beloved so long as we Fancy it is otherwise we shall not set our selves in good earnest to the Work of Reformation which we are obliged unto and God calls for by his Judgments and saith to us as by the Prophet Jer. 13. last O Jerusalem Jerusalem when wilt thou be made clean when shall it once be When when after all that I have done in the midst of you 2. Be exhorted to Fear and Tremble before this great God who now by his frowning Providences declares he hath a controversie with us O that all the Inhabitants of these Nations would stand in awe of him who hath made himself known to be a Just and Holy God by his Judgments executed upon us We may evidently see that our Abominations have provoked him to Wrath and if we will not after all this be prevailed upon to make him our dread what can we expect but that he should proceed to visit us with greater Calamities than have yet befallen us 3. Be exhorted to Reform what in you lies and lament before the Lord what you can't obtain from others I earnestly intreat every Soul of you in the Name of the Lord to begin with his own Heart and House and cast away the detestable things which God pleads against us for as good House-wises are most at home minding their own concerns so the best and most upright-hearted Christians are most Conversant with their own Hearts and more concern'd to east the beam out of their own Eyes than to complain of the Mote in anothers therefore set to the Work of Reformation thy self and when you have stoned the Achan in your own Camp expect to prosper and not before and then lay before the Lord the neglect of Reformation by others go to the Throne of Grace and weep over those Sins which are abounding in the midst of us and that there is so little done to reform under so great Obligations to it by what National Mercies we yet enjoy upon Trial. 4. Be exhorted to secure your Interest in Christ the anointed of God to save lost Sinners above all things look to this in times of Distress wise men endeavour to secure their best things their Jewels Gold c. Beloved in this dark and calamitous day now God is contending by his Judgments look to your Souls above all things every one get Arkt in Christ for as every Soul out of the Ark perisht in the Deluge so every Soul that dies out of Christ must perish Eternally as Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus so there is nothing but Condemnation to them that dye out of him if the avenger of Blood under the Law laid hold of the Man-slayer before he got into the City of Resuge there 's no relief for him so if you dye out of Christ you can't escape the Wrath of God O then flee to Christ cast Anchor within the Vail upon him in this stormy Season that if you are not deliverd from Temporal Calamities you may be freed Him Eternal study Christ his Name Nature and Fulness even that too much eclipsed Name of his Jer. 23.6 Toe Lord our Righteousness and submit to it that thou be not found naked of that which only can skreen the Wrath of God off you Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee O that the Tokens of Gods Wrath might in this day move all to prepare an Ark for the saving their Souls I mean to secure their Interest in Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption In him there is enough for your supply Sinners therefore hasten by Faith grapple upon him who rejects none that come to him Joh. 6.37 therefore take him at his Word he is faithful and can't deny himself 5. Lift up a Cry and pour out your Souls to God in Prayer for these sinful and threatned Kingdoms although Wrath is gone out from the Lord who knows but he will yet be intreated for us yea if we hear the Rod and him that hath appointed it he will remember his former Loving Kindnesses for he delights not in the Destruction of his Creatures but upon honourable terms to him and easie to us if complied with he will shew Mercy therefore set your selves to seek the Lord it may be he hath not said tho' Noah Daniel and Job pray he will not be intreated for us he formerly hath shewed himself slow to anger of great kindness and tender Mercy therefore go home and plead with him that felt Judgments may be sanctified and remov'd and feard Judgments may be prevented and it may be God will yet dwell in our Land Thus I have given you my short Meditations upon what the Lord hath done upon our Fleet by his immediate hand apparently to all I pray God we may see hear learn and do no more so wickedly lest worse befall us from the Lord than yet hath happen'd FINIS Advertisement THe Reader is desired to amend the Errata's that have escaped the Press
Englands Warning By Late Frowning PROVIDENCES ESPECIALLY THE Immediate Hand of GOD UPON THE STRAITS-FLEET Improved in a SERMON Preacht April 1st 1694. Wherein is plainly shew'd the Causes and Tokens of Gods present Controversie with us especially for our Non-improvement of National Deliverances to an Obliged Reformation From EZEKIEL V. viii Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations Luke 13.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micah 6.9 The Lords Voice crieth unto the City and the Man of Wisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it Ezekiel 13.13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will even rent it with a stormy Wind in my Fury nnd there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger and great Hail-stones in my Fury to consume it By Jonathan Owen Pastor of a Congregation in Southwark London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey 1694. TO Capt. Anthony Clifford At Peckham near London SIR THe Subject I write upon I must confess looks with a dismal Aspect upon this sinful Nation and were not I well assured of your full Satisfaction in and your Zealous Affection to the present mercifully Establisht Government even to the hazarding of your Person as formerly if not superannuated I should not venture to shelter this poor Essay for the Publick Welfare under the Patronage of your Noble Name Nor do I doubt but you lodge the like Charitable Thoughts in your Breast concerning your unworthy Relate who in Compliance with the Auditors of this plain Sermon is at last prevailed with to expose this his mean Endeavour to Publick View and Censure as being constrained thereunto by them that judge better of it than my self and to whom as I now stand related I can deny no reasonable Request for the Publick's and their good Therefore I hope Sir you will put an amicable construction upon the whole and condescend to admit this Attempt into your favourable acceptance and also follow it with your fervent Prayers that the End propounded viz. The Convincing and Awakening this sinful secure Nation that because the Sins specified therein abound in the midst of us and our late National Deliverances have not been improved to a general Reformation therefore God by his Judgments especially his immediate Hand upon the Straits-Floet doth evidently declare he hath a Controversie with us That this Necessary End might through influencing Grace be obtain'd is and shall be in conjunction with yours the hearty Prayers of Your Unworthy Nephew Jonathan Owen TO THE READER Candid Reader THou hast now in thy Hands a plain Discourse not Polisht with that Art and Eloquence which many are studious of but with an earnest desire to promote the Happiness of this sinful threatned Nation which the immediate Hand of God upon the Straits-Fleet gave birth unto I did once little think and in part determine with my self never to expose my weak Endeavours to Publick View and Censure but since by a more than ordinary Hand of Divine Providence attended with common difficulties from the unstable I am with the Favour of the present Government fixed in a Pastoral Relation over a Church of Christ whose Souls to my utmost I would gladly serve and for Christ and their sakes spend and be spent and in the prosecution of this high and noble End I would prudently take hold of every opportunity whether smiling or frowning which presents it self and because some that sat under my Ministry are engaged in this unhappy Fleet both in a Military and Civil respect and amongst the great number of precious Souls that with the greatest horror and most amazing out-cry shot the Gulf of Eternity there is but one as we yet hear lost and that not confirmd the General concern of the Nation with this no small Mercy made such an impression upon me as to put by my intended Subject and determin'd me upon this awful one Ezek. 5.8 as that which I judged to be the loud Voice of Providence to us concluding from hence that doubtless God hath a controversie with us but not because of the Happy Revolution of Publick Affairs as unthinking Dreamers do falsly imagine but because our unspeakable Mercy in our late Deliverance is not improved to an obliged Reformation for it may too truly be said of us as Psal 106.7 We remembred not the Multitude of his Mercies but provoked him at the Sea even at the Red Sea as for those to speak mildly if not Sons of Belial without yoak yet Persons of low designs if any for Gods Glory and the Publick Interest that are longing to go back into Egypt that evidently make their own Interest not the Publicks the Idol of their Care and Endeavours as for these I hope every Prudent Man will take heed and beware of them as Vipers in their Native Land and in Praying for them leave them to the Justice of the Nation in the mean time let us improve our present Mercies and bless God for what we enjoy of Peace and Liberty at home and chearfully contribute to this necessary defensive War abroad since our Deliverer himself is exposed to the greatest Dangers whom God Preserve and Prosper Reader if with the present Hand of God stretcht out against us this Sermon might obtain its desegned and desired end then may we be a happy People and I shall greatly rejoyce who in compliance with some of them that affectionately heard it for Substance as Memory serves have thrown in my small Mite for the general good of my Native Countrey and shall follow it with my Prayers who am thine in the bonds of the Gospel Jonathan Owen EZEKIEL V. viii Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations THE Spirit of God sets forth the Duty of Gospel Ministers by the Name of Watchmen Ezek. 3.17 Son of Man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the Word at my Mouth and give them warning from me Who in faithfulness to whom they relate must give seasonable warning of all approaching Calamities and Dangers that so there may be either a happy Prevention or a becoming Submission to what is otherwise inevitably befalling them Now that I might approve my self to Christ my Country and those I Watch over in the Lord I shall endeavour to assist you in making a right Improvement of the late awakening Dispensations of God to us in these Kingdoms especially the immediate Hand of God upon the Straits-Fleet In Order to do this I have exercis'd my Thoughts upon this awful Subject Thus saith the Lord God I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations In this and the foregoing Verse the Prophet doth discharge
Battel and it hath set him en fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to Heart No Afflictions or Judgments arise out of the Dust it 's an Expression more fit for an Atheist than Christians to attribute Afflictions and Judgments to Chance and Fortune J will execute Judgment in the midst of thee in the sigbt of the Nations Doct. 4. When God for the Sins of a Nation doth execute Judgments as he reasonably expects so they seriously should take due notice of it Therefore thus saith the Lord behold c. it 's no small Aggravation of our Guilt and Misery for Persons lightly to pass over the evident tokens of Gods displeasure This is but to intangle our selves so much the more and to make our bands of Sorrow with the Judgments of God so much the stronger and heavier Isai 26.11 When thy Hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed at it Doct. 5. Of all Judgments for the great God to manifest or declare himself to be against a People or a Nation is the worst and sorest As David said of Goliah's Sword 1 Sam. 21.9 There is none like that so of all that can befall a People there is none like this Judgment for God to be against them that have set themselves against him I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations In the Prosecution of this Doctrine I shall endeavour to keep to this Method I. I shall lay down some Propositions to explicate this Doctrine and to preserve good thoughts of God tho' in a way of Judgment with a sinful People and Nation II. I shall make some inquiry What are those Sins that have and it is to be fear'd now do provoke God to proceed in a way of Judgment against a People or a Nation III. I shall demonstrate what are the dismal Signs and sad Tokens of Gods being against a People or a Nation IV. I shall evince that of all Judgments which may befall a People or a Nation there is none comparable to or greater than Gods manifest declaring himself to be against a People or Nation V. I shall Improve the whole with some Practical Applications 1. The Propositions needful to explicate the Doctrine they are these following 1. Prop. The Great Soveraign and Alwise God doth not absolutely delight in setting himself against a People or in manifesting himself to be against a Nation in a way of Judgment God forbid that any should have such hard thoughts of a good and a gracious God as to imagine that he takes delight in wasting and destroying his Creatures he hath fully declar'd himself to the contrary in his Word which we have the highest Reason to believe For he is Truth and can't deny himself Therefore the Church kept up believing good thoughts of God under the hottest Furnace of Affliction Lam. 3.32 33. Tho he cause grief yet will he have Compassion according to the Multitude of his Mercies for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children in of Men i. e He doth not afflict from his Heart but like a tender Loving Father who will not spare to correct his Child as the Fault requires but yet not without natural Reluctancy and Bowels Thence it is that Judgment tho' it be his Work yet it is calld his strange Act Isa 28.21 Isa 27.4 Fury is not in me i. e. against my People Well let it remember'd that God doth not absolutely delight to be executing his Judgments in the midst of a People or a Nation 2. Prop. As God doth not delight to execute his Judgments in the midst of a People so upon honourable Terms to him and easie and profitable to us he is willing to let fall his quarrel and with-hold his Judgments from us See those Places and consider them Jerem. 3.12 13. Go and proclaim these Words toward the North and say Return thou back sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon yon For I am Merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green Tree and ye have not obeyed my Voice saith the Lord. And Joel 2.13 Micah 7.18 19. Beloved it 's from hence abundantly manifest that God is willing to be pacified when his Wrath is stirr'd up against a People or a Nation if we repent and reform 3. Prop. When God manifests himself against a People or a Nation if ever Judgments felt be removed and feared be prevented he must be complied with in his just demands from us If the Fire of Gods Wrath be extinguished against a Nation the fewel that feeds it must be pull'd away and so long as the distemper Reigns proper Physick must be apply'd 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. when Manasseh humbled himself after he was taken the Lord by intreaty was found of him to deliver him and when Nineveh fasted and humbled themselves the Lord repented him of his anger and brought not the Destruction threatned upon them so if ever the Lord be intreated for England we must be a Reformed People and turn to the Lord from whom we have wofully revolted if ever God hear Prayer Pardon our National Sins and heal our wounded and bleeding Kingdom we must sincerely humble our selves earnestly pray and unfeignedly turn from the evil of our ways 2 Chorn. 7.14 15. As all sorts of Persons have a Hand in Englands threatned Danger so all should endeavour to prevent it by personal speedy Repentance and thorough Reformation for is it not the loud Voice of Providence at this day Luk. 13.3 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So much for the Propositions 2. General is to enquire what are those Abominations which have and now do provoke the Lord by his late Dispensations to declare as in the Text I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee I might answer As all Sin whatsoever is an offence to the Divine Majesty so like Fuel it adds to the Fire and helps forwards our now threatned Misery but more particularly these following wherever they are found pull down Wrath and Judgments upon a People or a Nation 1. It is corrupting the true Worship of God and defiling the pure Institutions of Christ with the Inventions of Men when those things are made necessary which never came into the Heart of God to ordain and those things he hath by his Word injoined are slighted and disregarded The Disorder among the Corinthians provoked God to visit them with sore Trial Afflictions and Judgments and the neglect of Gods Order works all thingâ— out of order where it is practised and allowed If Nadab and Abihu will offer strange Fire God will declare their Sin and set up a Monument of his
Wrath by the Judgment of strange Fire from Heaven to destroy them Lev. 10.1 2. Did not Vzza dig his own Grave by going contrary to the command tho' out of a good Inâ—â—â—tionâ— when he put forth his Hand to support the trembling Ark 〈…〉 13.10 Beloved wherefore did God so much let himself 〈…〉 Israel was it not for their spiritual Whoredoms and Idolâ—â—â—â—â—â— See Deut. 6.14 15. Jer. 1.16 I will utter my Judgments against them touching all their Wickedness who have forsaken me and have burnt incense unto other gods and worshipped the Works of their own Hands This way of affronting Gods Authority always meets with some evident remarks of Gods displeasure His Heart could not be towards Israel for it and had not Moses his chosen stood in the gap he had cut them off in his Wrath. And beloved if this Sin be found with us you may know whence Destruction comes nor can we expect it will fare otherwise so long as Persons stand more upon Bowing the Head and bending the Knee at the Name of Jesus and at the same time have no regard to be Subject to him in their Hearts and Lives Corrupting Gods true worship provokes Him to declare by his Judgments I even I am against you and will execute Judgment in the midst of you in the sight of the Nations 2. It 's Apostacy backsliding and departing from God this also sets God against a People or a Nation When the Inhabitants of a Nation as the Psalmist speaks of the proudly wicked Psal 36.3 4. He hath left off to be wise and do good and he setteth himself in a way that is not good When Persons by fearful backsliding from God and his ways which they formerly made Profession of when the Power of unbelief Reigns to such a Degree that Persons generally depart from God and the true Doctrine of the Gospel And Beloved is not this Achan in our Camp and this Jonah in our Ship yea sure Ah! how many are there in England that have forsaken God in their Judgments by their imbibing Errors for Truth in their Affections by losing their first Love and in their Conversation by neglecting practical Godliness in their Families and Civil Employments Ah alas how many are there that were taller like Saul by the Head and Shoulders in the House of God now have bid adieu and never come there how many that were zealous for Gods Worship Publick and Private now have left off to Hear to Pray and instruct their Families Children and Servants for this wrath is gone out from the Lord and by his Judgments he seems to declare I even I am against thee c. O that these Scriptures may be consider'd by those whose Consciences tell them as Nathan did David Thou art the Man Isa 1.28 31. They that forsake the Lord shall be confounded 31. And the strong shall be as Tow and the maker of it as a spark and they shall both burn together and none shall quench them Ezra 8.11 The hand of the Lord is for good upon all those that fear him but his Power and his Wrath is against all those that forsake him Well you see that it is our departing from God that makes him depart from us 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you O England hast not thou forsaken thy God Therefore by his Judgments he now saith I even I am against thee c. 3. Another Sin which provokes God by his Judgments to declare himself against a People or a Nation is Pride pride as some think was the Sin that turned the Apostate Angels out of Heaven and hath shut them up in Hells Misery and it 's this Diabolical reigning common Sin of Pride that hath justly incensed the anger of the Lord against this Nation I grant that the root of Pride is in the Heart but the Index of it is in the Carriage and Habit of Persons And ah alas did this Heaven-daring and Nation-destroying Sin ever more abound in England than now among all Ranks and Degrees of Persons Is it not become a common thing for Persons yea Professors in effect to quarrel with Gods handy-work and by their Patching and Painting declare their dislike of themselves because God hath not made them in the Fashion tho' such Attires are more to be lamented in Bedlam than permitted in Christian Assemblies Beloved the high God and proud Persons bid defiance one to another And so long as Pride reigns in the Heart there can be no Peace from God to such a Soul I grant Persons might be distinguished one from another by their Habits but its unmeet that any especially Professours should exceed the approved bounds of Modesty much more that indecent Practice when the Maid with her Broom is hardly by Habit distinguishable from Persons of Honour and Quality this ought not to be so and because of this Iniquity abounding Pride the Land mourns and God hath a controversie with us as is manifest by his executing Judgments in the midst of us See these Scriptures Psal 138.6 Prov. 16.5 Jer. 50.31 32. Behold I am against thee O thou most proud saith the Lord God of Hosts For the day is come and the time that I will visit thee And the most proud shall stumble and fall and none shall raise him up and I will kindle a Fire in his Cities and it shall devour all round about him 4. The shameful Prophanation of Gods Holy Sabbath is another Sin which provokes God by his Judgments to declare himself against a People or Nation Beloved the great God hath consulted his own Honour and our good and advantage and therefore when he might justly have requir'd six days out of seven to himself he hath allowed us six for our common Callings and taken to himself but one to be wholly spent excepting Works of Mercy and Necessity in his Publick and Private Worship Butah how many now plead for a sinful licentiousness in this day and make it a light matter to Rob God of his Honour by spending this Holy Day in the service of the Devil and their own Hearts Lusts Ah Sirs is not the Lords day converted into the Devils Drudgery and do not many amongst us Trade more for Hell than Heaven in it if we consider how much of this precious Time is spent in Ale-houses and Taverns in idle Walks sinful Chats and unnecessary Visits we must conclude for this also the Land Mourns and Judgments are executed in the midst of us in the sight of the Nations See Neb. 13.15 18. O that such a Spirit from the Lord might excite our present Magistrates for verily God is contending for our breach of Sabbaths and by his late Dispensations loudly cries in our Ears as in Jer. 17.27 If you will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day and not to bear a burthen even entring in at
the Gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day Then will I kindle a Fire in the Gates thereof and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched Hear O England if you will not hallow my Sabbaths saith the Lord then I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee as I have done upon my own Day by Fire and Water to shew my Controversie with you is very great and I am against you 5. Another Sin which sets God against a People or a Nation is Stupidity and incorrigibleness under present Mercies and Judgments Beloved what Nation under the Copes of Heaven have enjoyed greater Mercies than we have formerly and of late by a merciful Deliverance from Tyranny and Popery it was but the other day when we were laying our Hands upon our Loins and our Faces gather'd paleness and we perceiv'd all that is valueable to us upon the Block and the hands lifted up to give the fatal blow to all and yet then did their bloody Inventions meet with a happy Prevention through Gods raising up for us a Deliverer but ah how have we forget our Vows and the generality live as tho' they were deliver'd to commit greater Abominations than before And because Mercies have not melted us to Repentance therefore Judgments follow one upon the Neck of another and Gods immediate hand is obviously stretched out against us Consider what God said of old to Israel and is it not his Voice to us now Ezekiel 20. 7 8. Then said I unto them Cast ye away every man the Abominations of his Eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God But they rebelled against me and would not hearken unto me they did not every Man cast away the Abominations of their Eyes neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt then I said I will pour out my fury upon them to accomplish mine anger against them in the midst of the Land of Egypt I think that 's applicable to us also Jer. 2.30 In vain have I smitten your Children they will receive no Correction 6. The manifest grieving of Gods Holy Spirit is another great Abomination which provokes God to declare I even I am against thee The Holy Spirit of God is griev'd many ways when the loud Voice of Providences are not regarded when Ministers that speak to you with Bowels in his Name are sleighted and their Message not received when the Spirit comes with Light and you shut your Eyes and will not see when he comes with powerful Convictions and you stifle them when you are call'd to believe and repent without delay you will rather hearken to the Devils Verb mane delay than Gods Adverb mane early or comply with speed when Gods Comminations on the one hand and his woes on the other as by the Prophet have not their due effect upon us Jer. 13. last Woe unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be or after when yet as tho God had said I have staid long and sent time after time waiting and wooing I am now as it Were tired out if you will comply well if not I must tho with reluctancy fall on but O When once shall it be But as it was with them so is it not with us now Isa 63.9 10. In all their Affliction he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them Beloved if we in this Nation go on thus to rebell against Gods Holy Spirit if we fight against him and he against us it 's no hard matter to tell who will have the worst for if he fights we must needs fall Who hath harden'd himself against him and prosper'd Job 9.4 Thus Beloved I have shewn what are some of those crying Sins that provoke God against a People or a Nation I might add many more as Lying Swearing Drunkenness Oppression Violence Ingratitude for National Mercies non-improvement of signal Deliverances from Tyranny and Popery to a thorough Reformation which God expected as we in Adversity promis'd the Lord these and the like Abominations have stirr'd up his Wrath against us who saith as in Hosea 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my Face in their Affliction they will seek me early But I shall not enlarge 3. General What are the black Tokens and evident Signs of Gods being against a People or a Nation I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations 1. When Men of Piety Prudence and Conduct are dispirited in the midst of us and have not that regular zeal for God Godliness and the Publick Interest as formerly it was a sad Omen to the Egyptians of what God was about to do with them when he took off their Chariot-Wheels that they drave them heavily Exod. 14.24 25. Men of Piety Prudence and Conduct are as the Chariot-Wheels of the Nation and if these abate their Spirit and Zeal for Godliness and the Publick good our Wheels are off and we are like to be over-flowed with destructive Judgments I remember what God complains of Ephraim Hosea 7.11 That he was as a silly Dove without a Heart and is it not applicable to us What is become of our late Zeal for Godliness amongst Men of Piety Prudence and Conduct when Popery was coming in by Policy and Power some had a Heart to venture for the publick good in the Face of threatning Dangers but now when God threatens for want of Reformation we are sitting still and grudge at the necessary Charges of defensive War and are ready to impute our present Misery to our invaluable Mercy and suffer our cruel Vipers unnaturally to eat out our own Bowels before our Faces well it s an Argument of Gods being against a People when such Men have lost their Heart Spirit and Zeal for Religion the Publick Good and Safety This speaks to us I even I am against you c. 2. Another Sign of Gods being against a People or a Nation is his permitting Men to be exalted to places of Dignity and Trust who are not rightly principl'd for Gods Glory and the publick's Interest Beloved I bless God day and night heartily for the signal favour shew'd to these Kingdoms in the happy Accession of the present King and Queen to the Throne what two Protestants at once such a Mercy as hath not been granted to England for many Years past and not only so but I bless God Publickly and Privately that by their Royal Proclamations they have signified their Pleasure to have Prophaneness and Debauchery discouraged and trampled under foot but yet where the governing Wheels move
regularly if others subordinate be defective the desirable end will not be obtain'd if some call for and endeavour after a Reformation with hopeful Success yet if others will affront Heaven and despise Government by not executing wholsom Laws what will become of that People where it is so it's no less than Irrational to conclude where the Leaders of the People be Examples of Prophaneness and Debauchery that there can be any hopeful Reformation It was a doleful time Isa 9.13 When the People turned not to him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts But the Leaders of the People caused them to err and they that are load of them are destroyed When the Case of a Land is thus it might be rightly inferr'd as the Lord God faith by the Prophet I even I am against thee c. 3. Another Symptom of Gods being against a People or a Nation is when neither Mercies nor Judgments are rightly improved Beloved it 's the hearty desire and endeavour of all whose Hearts are right with God to have all things sanctified to them and improved by them to Gods Glory and their good they full well know that Mercies not fanctified are real Judgments and Judgments sanctified to a right improvement are eventually Mercies but when neither have their proper end upon a People it plainly indicates Gods displeasure and loudly speaks that He even He is against them And now let me tell you Beloved we in England have had as signal Mercies as any Nation under the Heavens Liberty Peace Plenty and what appertains to this Life and Godliness with a wonderful and never to be forgotten Deliverance from apparent eminent dangers but ah how evilly have we requited the Lord and by our obstinacy and continuance in impenitency and disobedience we have caused him to turn his Hand against us it was but the other day and God by his own out-stretched Arm wrought Salvation for us when we were expecting the black Cloud of Tyranny and Popery to empty it self in showers of Protestant Blood then did the Lord send us a Saviour and we are escaped out of the hands of them whose avowed Principle it is to murder whom they can't prevail upon to imbibe their damnable Doctrines And yet so amazingly raging is the Frensie of some amongst us that we are longing for the Onions and Garlick of Egypt and in a mad fit coveting our former Bondage and Slavery but we hope as the Blind lead the Blind so both shall fall into the Ditch ere it be long but as we have had signal Mercies so we have no less remarkable Indications of Gods fore Displeasure have not Gods four sore Judgments been amongst us Ezek. 14.21 and do not many now unreasonably complain of a long and chargeable tho' just necessary and defensive War doth not God himself by his immediate Hand upon the Fleet fight against us for Non-Reformation and Ingratitude yet who considers this or lays it to Heart or takes right measures to have these awful Indications of Gods displeasure sanctified to us or be improved by us there 's little hope of the Patients health when no Physick hath it's proper end or kindly operates so it 's a sad Symptom that the great God is against a People when neither Mercies draw nor Judgments drive to Repentance and Reformation when it may be truly said of them as in Jer. 2.30 In vain have I smitten your Children they receive no Correction or as the Prophet complains Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed What can we expect but that he should still punish us seven times more until we do see and reform whatsoever is amiss under such publick Mercies and National Judgments 4. Another black Token of Gods being against a People or a Nation is Discord and Variance concerning those things that make for the common good and publick Interest Beloved Unity and Concord are under God the Walls of our Defence Discord and Variance makes us weak and like a great breach in a close besieged Castle lays us open to the Rage and Fury of the Enemy and how sad is it with that People where proper Medicines to heal the bleeding wounds of a languishing Kingdom are not apply'd and how much more sad when experienced ones are not made use of where Religion not Interest would oblige to the greatest Peril and how lamentable is it also when the Godly who are the Props and Pillars of the Kingdom are divided amongst themselves and some stand upon Tithing Mint Annis and Cummin and neglect the weightier matters of the Law It was an old stratagem of some and proves often true First divide and then Tyrannize and do your Pleasure I pray God we in England may take heed this seems to be the design at this day and nothing doth more effectually ferve the Papists Interest and disserve ours than this Divisions like the Trojan Horse will let in Ruin insensibly upon us When God would destroy Jerusalem they made way for it by their Intestine Quarrels and of old For the Divisions of Reuben there were great Thoughts of Heart Judg. 5.15 so I wish that now for ours also there were great searching of Hearts and Prudent endeavours to heal and compose them made use of for Dogs to tear and devour one another is natural but for Sheep to do so is strange and unusual I remember a Story in Esop to this purpose an aged Father upon a Sick bed calld his Sons together and commanded them to bring him a bundle of Twigs he injoins them to endeavour by pulling to break them but they could not then to try again one by one and they did break them if we unite we are like to stand but if we divide we make our selves a prey O how Happy yet might these Kingdoms be if that once were fulfill'd upon us Isa 11.13 Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim I wish heartily that all who profess themselves to be Christs sincere followers would Regard and Practise his dying and New command to Love one another John 13.34 So call'd that it might be always minded and ne'er forgot to be obey'd by us but if after all that God hath wrought for us we will obstinately persist in so great Folly what can we expect but Ruin as the Apostle hints Gal. 5.15 For if ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another For by his Judgments for this as well as other Sins he declares I even I am against thee 5. Another sad Symptom of the great Gods being against a People or a Nation is Frustration or Disappointment in common proper and ordinary endeavours for the Honour Safety and Wealth of a Nation Beloved the great God Rules and upholds both Kingdoms and Common-wealths by second Causes and subordinate Means such as Merchandizing abroad Trading at home and sometimes by just necessary
and defensive Wars with other Nations but now when an incensed God by his over-ruling Providence frowns upon any or all of these as of late it surely indicates he hath a controversie with us was it not the accursed thing in the Camp that occasioned that sad disappointment to Israel before Ai as Joshua 7.1 4. And were they not compell'd to reform according to Gods command before they could prosper against their Enemies and was it not the disobedience of Jonah to Gods Precepts that caused a Storm to arise that impeded their Passage until he was thrown over-board And what may we imagine hath been the occasion of our late Disappointments by Sea and Land but our great Provocations here and there For can a Bulrush grow without Mire as in Job 8.11 or will a Lyon roar in the Forrest when he hath no Prey as in Amos 3.4 Neither would God thus blast ordinary endeavours for our Honour Safety and Wealth if we had not by our Sins set him against us I must confess tho' we have looked for much and it 's come to little yea tho' our Trading is Dead in the midst of us tho' our Merchants wax Poor and much of their Wealth is swallow'd up in the merciless Waves tho' we have many Widows Fatherless and Orphans by the late desolating blow from Gods immediate Hand upon the Fleet yet he that hath done all this might justly have swallow'd up all and have spared none to inform us of so great a Judgment commixt with tender and sparing Mercy to others by this repeated Judgment the incensed God hath evidently fulfill'd that Commination upon us Ezek. 13.13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will even Rent it with a stormy Wind in my Fury and there shall be an over-flowing shower in my anger and great Hail-stones in my Fury to consume it Thus I have given you the Signs of a Black day wherein it may be said as in the Text I even I am against thee c. 3. General Is to Evince and Demonstrate that of all Judgments for the great God manifestly to declare himself against a People or a Nation is the worst and sorest and the Reasons are these following 1. Reason It 's so because if God be against a People or a Nation then all he is in himself is against that People as when a Sinner is brought in to Covenant with God then all in God is his and for his good even every Attribute of God his Wisdom Mercy Goodness Faithfulness and the like so when God sets himself against a People or a Nation then every Attribute of God is set against that People and Nation And therefore it must necessarily be the greatest and worst of Judgments for God to declare Himself against a People or a Nation Beloved there is infinitely more in the One great God's manifesting Himself against us than if all the World besides him should do it sad was the Case of Israel when God pronounced by the Prophet Jer. 18.11 Behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you c. When the great Jehovah sets his Wisdom on Work to frame Evil and devise Judgments it must needs be sad for not only one but all the Attributes of God are against that People 2. Reason Of all Judgments for the great God to manifest and declare himself against a People or a Nation is the worst because then all the Creatures of God are against that People the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath all his Creatures at his beck and command they do and must fulfil whatsoever his Pleasure is as a great General once said If he did but nod with his Head or stamp with his Foot he could make his Souldiers encounter the greatest difficulties so if the Lord of Heaven and Earth doth but look out of Heaven and say as Jehu did to them with proud painted Jezebel 2 Kings 9.32 Who it on my side who Then all the Creatures in Heaven and upon Earth in the Sea also and Winds shall be ready to look out and obey his Commands and fulfil his Will Psal 148.8 Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour Stormy Wind fulfilling his Word Did not he cause the Stars to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 and did not he send an Angel to discomfit the Camp of the Assyrians who blasphem'd against the Lord and many more such Instances we have wherein the great God as well as of late upon the Straits Fleet hath shew'd that it 's the worst of Judgments for God to declare himself to be against a People because if he be against them all his Creatures shall be against them also 3. It is so because if God be against a People or a Nation his Opposition renders all other Means ineffectual for our Preservation as the Psalmist speaks Psal 127.1 2. Except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it except the Lord keep the City the Watchmen watch in vain 2. It 's in vain for you to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of Sorrows So if the Lord doth not bless our Merchandizing our Trade and Callings our Forces by Sea and Land all our Care and Cost will be in vain It was a dismal time with Saul when he cry'd out to him the Witch rais'd 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sore distressed and the Philistines make War against me and the Lord God hath departed from me So if God forsake us in this time of War sore Distress must necessarily follow I pray God deliver us from that woful Commination mentioned by the Prophet against Egypt Isa 19.3 I will destroy the Council of Egypt Isa 7.7 Thus saith the Lord God it shall not stand neither shall it come to pass As with good Advice War is to be made and in multitude of Counsel is Safety under God so for God to set himself against a People is the worst and forest of Judgments because his Opposition renders all means for our welfare ineffectual 4. It 's the worst of Judgments for God to set himself against a People or a Nation because then there is no Safety but the greatest Peril as it is written concerning the Children of the Wicked Job 5.4 They are far from Safety So it may truly be said of that People whom God is against They are far from Safety that is they are in eminent danger incompass'd with hazards on every side as helpless as a naked man is against an incensed Army that resolves to put all to the Sword and spare none when God by Judgments declares as in the Text I even I am against thee it may truly be said to such as Psal 142.4 Refuge fails and which way soever we betake our selves there will be no Exemption from the Judgments of an incensed God I remember what the King said to the Woman in the Famine of Samaria to this effect 2 Kings 6.27 When she cry'd out Help O King help if the Lord do not help