say I will give you my word for it We may easily conceive it requisite from that natural light which remain'd in the reasonable creature that God the Creator and Governor is to be worshipped 4 Acts 17.23 Rom. 1.23 25 1 Kings 18.21 and that no worship can be accepted of God but what is instituted of himself and sith there abides in Man naturally a strong desire of truth and immortality of knowing how he may be accepted of God 5 2 Cor. 5.9 Psal 4.6 73.24 and enjoy Communion with him that there should be some assured 6 2 Tim. 3.14 Revelation 7 John 1.18 Deut. 29.29 whereby he doth manifest himself and declare his will as the glass of his Divinity 8 2 Cor. 3.18 4.6 and the rule of his worship 9 Isa 1.10 12. Matth. 7.21 Col. 2.23 24. that we may not be guilty of worshipping we know not what or how being he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth 10 Joh. 4.22 24 3. Tho' God in infinite Wisdom during the time of the long-liv'd Patriarchs till some time after the flood thought it sufficient notwithstanding there was an early defection from his appointments which yet in some measure came under the Reformation of Enoch 11 Gen. 4.26 Noah 12 Gen. 8.20 9.5 and Abraham 13 Gen. 17.1 c. Deut. 8.5 4.7 8. to continue that way of Revelation from one to another during the infancy of his Church however when she grew up it became necessary for the due Conservation Vindication and Propagation of his Word that as all Nations by the light of Nature are directed generally to the use of Laws his own Laws reaching to the very motions of the heart should be written 14 Prov. 22.19 20. Luke 1.3 4. Rom. 15.4 This is found to be the most credible way of Proposal it being most fit we should ascribe that to God which is really consonant to the greatest Wisdom that the certainty of the Word of truth might be known and communicated God himself wrote his Laws 15 Exod. 24.12 Hos 8.12 and commanded Moses 16 Exod. 34.1 27. and the Prophets 17 Hab. 2.2 Jer. 36.2 Scripta tabella manet Dr. Templer to write his will and oracles These coming as the credential Letters of the supream infallible Majesty which are to remain inviolable not be rejected by any who could never see any demonstrative evidence to weaken the Authority thereof So that it would be most injurious to the Divine benignity to suspect that the All-wise and most gracious God would be wanting to his Church in so necessary a matter The great Doctor of the Gentiles would argue ‖ Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his Son but deliver'd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things These things being premis'd 2. I shall proceed to the particular grounds of the Assertion so as I would hope they may not only satisfie real Christians but such as are doubting of the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures if not dispos'd to be Antiscripturists 1. The Assent of Divine Faith whereby a sinner is converted and brought nigh to God is only built upon the Authority of God the Revealer considering his infallible Veracity that he is a God of truth and cannot deceive or be deceived having dominion over his Creatures who are therefore to submit to his Word penn'd upon his command by those who were divinely inspir'd 18 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Sam. 23.2 3. Hos 12.10 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Thes 2.13 as they vouch'd and prov'd themselves to be and we have no solid reason to except against their Proof Tho' the Prophets and Penmen of Scripture were not always accompanied with miracles when they delivered their Messages from God yet they required an attendance and obedience under an eternal penalty to be inflicted upon those who did disobey the voice and Message of God which if they to whom it came did not receive with a Divine Faith they did in Gods account refuse to obey There is no suspending our Assent when God expresly declares his Will by himself or his Messengers coming in his Name as in the last days he did by his Son 19 Heb. 1.1 who spake with Authority and not as the Scribes 20 Matth. 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a Divinity discern'd in it by the hearers and so there was in some proportion in the Prophets of the Lord somewhat Divine which might be discern'd by those unto whom it came as by Paul distinctly ‖ else it had been hard for God to have charged their eternal and temporal welfare or ruin 6 Acts 22.9 upon their discerning or not discerning a right betwixt his Word in the mouth of his own Prophets and that Word which pretended only so to be in the mouths of the false Prophets We have a notable instance hereof in opposition to those who pretended to Prophecy in the Name of the Lord to gain credit to their lies 21 Jer. 23.22 25 28. The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream and he that hath my Word let him speak it faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Is not my Word like fire saith the Lord And like an hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces The righteous God would not have required of Men under a dreadful penalty to have assented to his Word in opposition to the impostors dreams had there not been most certain tokens for the differencing of it from that of the false prophets whose words as all others besides his were as Chaff light and useless stuff for Mans food which the Wheat the bread of life might be easily known from by those who had eyes to see and did not because of their evil deeds love darkness rather than light ‖ John 3.19 we know they who by a good light are conversant in receiving and paying of monies do readily discern the genuine from counterfeit coin Whereupon Gerson * Pars prima De distinctione verarum Visionum a falsis affirmed that the true coin of Divine Revelation may be known from the counterfeits of Diabolical Visions as true Gold is from its counterfeit by its weight flexibility and durableness or continuity and incorruptibleness configuration and colour Gods holy Word had light and heat and power proper to it which made it evident tho' prejudice and conceited interest hindred many to whom it came from giving entire credit to it delivered by the Lords true Prophets 21 Isa 53.1 Jer. 43.3 and Christ himself 22 John 9.29 12.37 38. who will certainly manifest himself as in displeasure to those who reject him revealing the Father so in favour to those who receive him 23 John 14.21 Matth. 11.20 T is no way likely that one from the dead should so manifest himself if he came to impart his experiences to his
old Wall which they seeing drew their Swords to defend themselves which being discerned by their Servants who attended at the door they drew likewise and the Armies seeing this did the like and slaughtered one another a long time before they understood the mistake And just so hath it often fared with God's Church abroad and at home Wise and good Men have been ready for a Reconciliation and in effect agreed when that Old Serpent the Devil being ready to burst with Malice at it hath spoil'd so good an enterprize and renew'd the flames of Discord again 2. Jesuites and other Emissaries from Rome These have been Satans Instruments to set the World in Flames It was Campanella's old Advice to the Spaniard that they should by all means keep up Union among themselves and keep open the breaches among the Protestants The like by Adam Contzen another Jesuite in his Politicks These doubtless did blow the Coals in our Civil Wars and insinuated themselves into each Party And it is strange that though this their Principle and Practice be undenyable neither side will discern or yield any such Boutefeu's to be among them What else could maintain that deadly rage and violent Prejudice so long among Englishmen and Protestants whose Temper and Religion is of it self so sweet and gentle but such Instruments as these who aggravate Differences and exasperate mens spirits and endeavour to perswade People that it is better to yield to a Forreign Religion than to one another and to this end their Doctrines and Ceremonies are represented with the fairest and falsest Colours our first Reformers abroad and at home slily censured and our domestick Differences rendred irreconcileable 3. Atheistical and Debauched Persons These hate all sound Religion in whomsoever and are ripe for any Profession which will gratifie their Lusts and so are as ready to be Mahumetans as Romans who for all their Professions of Loyalty would hate their Governors at the Heart if the Laws were strictly executed against their Vices These cry out Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us and so must needs abhorr any such Settlement as would conduce to the flourishing oâ— â—eal Piety Besides their Practices provoke God to fasten his Judgments upon us whereof our Contentions are not the least And also these having an inveterate Antipathy to all sober and religious Persons of what Character soever do equally hate such of every Party and on the other side adhere unto and animate the looser sort whose Religion consists in Humour Noise or Shew and wherever they live are pouring Oyl into our Flames 4. Ignorant and Proud People whereof the number is too great in every Party Such as have neither read the Scriptures with Judgment nor other Ecclesiastical Histories nor considered the Constitution of the Churches of God in other parts of the World but only pore upon what is next to their Senses and these commonly are most conceited and unmoveable abounding only in their own sence and condemning all others with the greatest contempt Of such good old Mr. Greenham is to be understood when being ask'd by the Lord Treasurer Cecil where the blame of that great rent lay between the Bishops of those times and Others The fault said he is on both sides and on neither side for the godly-wise on both sides bear with each other and concurr in the main but there be some selfish peevish spirits on both sides and these make the quarrel And how few are there that are no way byass'd by their worldly Interest which is a strong and irrefragable Argument and where it rules will make men content to behold a whole Nation on fire so that they may warm themselves thereby How rare a thing is a publick Spirit or a Man that looking upon the distracted condition of a Church and Nation without the false Spectacles of Prejudice and private Interest can drop a Christian Tear or impartially offer any Balm to cure their Wounds From such as these before-mention'd proceed our Uncharitable Contentions And woe be to them unless they repent that is amend Vse 3. If these prepare for Destruction Then We in this sinful Nation are in the ready way to misery For 1. Our Differences and Contentions are notorious Divisions in the Church Divisions in the Nation Cities divided yea Houses divided Names of Distinction impos'd and no Pacificatory Endeavours nor Inviting Providences have yet cemented us Our Enemies smile at it and our well-wishers mourn 2. We are Vncharitable in these Contentions we bite and devour one another we censure we slander we rail we damn and we are ready to mischieve one another by force by fraud the Press sweats the Pulpit rings with Invectives and with Reproaches O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out to thee of violence and thou wilt not save why dost thou shew me iniquity and grievance for spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention c. Habac. 1.2 3. The Law of Kindness is banish'd out of mens Mouths the Law of Love too much out of mens Hearts Yea some Preach Christ of envy strife and contention supposing to add affliction to others bands as it was Philip. 1.17 We may take up Optatu's complaint of old Nullus vestrum est qui non convitia nostra suis tractatibus misceat Lectiones Dominicas incipitis tractatus vestros ad nostras injurias explicatis Profertis Evangelium facitis absenti fratri convitium Auditorum animis infigitis odia inimicitias suadendo docendo suadetis This hath been Englished too often in Pulpits I am loth to do it In all concourses instead of kindness freedom and love either uncivil clashings or a fearful reservedness The worst Interpretations made of one anothers actions words looks and behaviour Certainly the Enemy hath done this his cloven Foot is evident in these effects but this is matter of fact and undenyable 3. Too many of those that should quench these flames exasperate them If St. Paul were here he would ask again as 1 Cor. 6.5 Is it so that there is not a wise man among you I speak it to your shame If St. James were among us he would ask as Jam. 3.13 Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good Conversation his works with meekness of wisdom and conclude But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth Magistrates and Ministers should be Healers but there have been some of these and that of each Party that have increased these flames How industriously have our wounds been kept open and some have not been asham'd to set themselves against all Coalition and Vnion Where are our healing Shepherds Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physician there why then is not the health of the daughter of my People recovered The Pythagorians had a
been tryed Am. 4. and prove unsuccessful Security and Impenitency is added to Rebellion before God proceeds against a People The Lords Goodness displays it self in his Calls and Patience waiteth an Answer ere he takes the advantage against a Land Isa 3.9 Oft besides the grosness of sins there is boldness and shamefulness they declare their sin as Sodom I shall not mention antecedent aggravations as Light Convictions Covenant bonds c. which add a weight to sin whiles committing You see what National Sins are in the Question and when they become such as hazard the ruine of a People Quest What are National Mercies in the Case before us Answ Such Blessings as truly and considerably affect the good of a Community They must be Blessings in their nature and National in their extent they must have an aptitude to the Common Weale the more they conduce to make a Land happy the greater the Mercy is Neither is the gracious design of God to bless a Land thereby to be disregarded for sometimes he rains Snares Psal 78.29 31. and gives Quails in judgment These Mercies regard our Souls or our Bodies or both I shall ennumerate some of them * By pardon I mean an exemption from Tempâ—ral Puniâ—hments for those sins The pardon of past sins and help against the like offences the pretence of God as effective of Spiritual and Temporal good Gospel Ordinances a Holy Judicious Faithful Ministry a pure Worship the Spirits energie in the Gospel to the Conversion of many Sinners and real Edification of Saints whereby the estate of Believers may be flourishing a Godly Discipline and Communion of Saints founded on plain Gospel Terms Love and Peace among Churches grounded on essential not disputable Notions and expressed in all the fruits of Christian Love freedom from Persecution and Malignity a Godly Magistracy using its Power to restrain Sin and promote Godliness Peace in our Borders Justice in our Courts Learning in the Schools Wisdom and sincere designs for publick good among Counsellours Plenty by a Blessing on ouâ— Trades and Labours Health in our Streets Credit and Influence among Neighbouring Countries freedom from such Judgments as waste and debate a Land These and the like constitute a happy Nation They are Mercies which National Sins forfeit and without which the aspect of a Land is mournful Greater or less degrees of all or any of these are within the Question as the object of our expectations and the sorts and degrees are oft proportioned to a Nations Repentance and determined by it Thirdly The Case stated and distinguished from what seems like it It is not what Repentance God requireth of particular persons in order to Eternal Life nor what Repentance God requireth of a sinful Nation as its duty nor what 's that Repentance without which a Nation shall never enjoy National Mercies nor what Repentance is that on which every Nation in all cases shall partake of National Mercies nor what shall limit our Prayers nor yet altogether our Hopes as to the state of a Land much less what is that Repentance which will best secure National Mercies But the Question connects our Repentance and warrantable expectations The scope of it is What is the lowest sort or degree of Repentance for National Sins which is requisite to warrant and ordiâ—arily direct our expectations of National Mercies The Reason why I add ordinarily will appear after the indefiniteness of the term National Mercies whether of this kind or of that to this or that degree I insist not upon Supposing that it imports at least so much and many Mercies as render a Nation tolerably happy and exempted from what it esteems calamitous Fourthly The Difficulties of the Case It s not only hard to determine it as the minimum quod sic in any qualification for Mercy nor yet as a thing depending on Multitudes and relating to the Providence of God as to what 's future but there are these other things that make it difficult 1. Other Nations are not under such express Rules with respect to Gods outward dealings as the Jewish Nation was That people was under a Theocracy God was their King 1 Sam. 12.12 on this account the Lord chargeth them when they were for a King 1 Sam. 8.7 that they rejected me that I should not reign over them Idolatry also was High Treason in that State they were Gods peculiar Nation and thereby to live in a more immediate dependance on him even in Civil respects Isa 51.4 than other People The Rules of their External Priviledges both Church and National were express in that Covenant of peculiarity whereinto they were admitted This Covenant easily determined mens Expectations of Gods dealings with them But I think we cannot always conclude from Gods Methods towards them how he will deal with other Nations that are not under the same Law 2. There have been alwayes great displays of Soveraignty in Gods Dispensation of Judgments and Mercy towards Nations He waites longer on some people than on others though no more guilty Sometimes he granteth favour to a Nation though its Sins be many and punisheth it when its provocations appear less Josh 7.1 The Sins of multitudes are connived at sometimes and at other times he afflicteth for the Offences of a few as in the case of Achan He hath diverted Judgments at the Prayer of one Moses Exo. 32.11 14. Ez. 14.14 Jer. 7.16 but sometimes though Noah Daniel and Job be there they shall deliver no more than themselves Yea he hath forbid his Servants to pray for a people as a thing to no purpose God hath sorely rebuked small Sins in particular Persons as Moses Vzzah c. to let men see its Patience in God not Innocency in Men that he still destroys not There is exact Wisdom and Righteousness in all this variety which the light of a higher State will discover though now by reason of darkness his wayes seem perplexed to us However this Soveraign unaccountableness must abate our positiveness in judging what will be the way of God towards a people though it hinders not the determining our ordinary Expectations 3. There are prophetick periods wherein National Mercies shall not be obstructed by impenitence but Repentance shall follow them Israel was not remarkably penitent when the time of Redemption from Egypt was come yet God keeps his day Ezek. 16.62 Hag. 2.14 16 17 18. Rev. 19 1 7 8. Their Release from Babylon found them in the like unfit posture yet God is pacified and brings them to Repentance by their return This people is unclean and what they offer is unclean yet he makes them prosper and build the Temple even though they had not turned to him And it seems to be not much otherwise with the Church when it sings the Praises of God for the consummating stroak against Antichrist Rev. 19.1 7 8. she is not ready nor cloathed with eminent Holiness 4. The Desolation of a
transgress you the commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper Were it otherwise Gods Name would not be Sanctified no order in this lower World would be kept But further Impenitence is not onely a Moral Obstacle to good as it provokes God to with-hold it but it s a Natural Obstacle the wickedness of men is efficient of Wo to a People and is in many senses destructive of Mercies and inconsistent therewith Many Enormities of a Nation are its Plagues as bad Laws wickedness in Magistrates a corrupt Ministry Oppression c. It s Iniquity is even materially its Ruin APPLICATION Many Inferences are obvious As How dreadful an Evil is Sin How dangerous to a Land are multitudes of Offenders A Nation is foolish that discountenances Piety and destroyeth the godly Party whereby it strikes at its own Refuge How good and long-suffering is God that calls the vilest Nations to return waits long for their Answer and destroys not till their Repentance be even hopeless What Enemies to themselves Neighbours and Posterity bound up in their doom are an impenitent people What sottish and Atheistical Men are they that guide their hopes and fears of a Nations Welfare by Fancies or second Causes but without regard to Gods Favour or Anger or the influence that Repentance or Impenitence have upon the wayes of God towards a People What a dismal Prospect is a Wicked Nation sporting with their Provocations and Warnings How uncertain a Tenure do most Nations hold their Mercies by But I have not time to insist on these I shall briefly apply the Resolution of the Case to our own Nation We are a Nation we have National Sins Repentance of these Sins is a presage of our future State as well as others I know no exemption or peculiar allowance we can expect at the hands of the righteous Governour of the World Oh that our Hearts were under the Power of this awful Truth that our iniquity may not be our ruin Ezek. 18.30 In order to this 1. I shall insist on some things in order to our Repentance 2. Enquire Whether we may groundedly expect National Mercies from our present Frame 3. Conclude with an Use of Lamentation of our National Impenitency and Dangers In order to our Repentance I shall 1. Represent to you the National Sins we ought to Repent of Hereby you 'l know what we should be humbled for resolve against and reform What a Terror ought it be but to mention our Provocations Oh that a Land of Light should be chargeable with such Enormities and yet be secure and hate to be reformed Where shall I begin the Charge We and our Fathers for some Ages have been guilty of the same sins yet unrepented of Against whom shall I level the Inditement Alass we have all sinned and done wickedly as we could Magistrates and Subjects Ministers and People the Unbelievers and Believers To what sorts of Sins shall I confine my self to Wo is us what Sins did God ever destroy a Land for that are not National with us But that the sound may not appear uncertain I account my self bound in Conscience to be more particular My subject forceth me not any uncharitable design Oh that my own heart were more filled with Zeal for God and deepest sorrows for the Nations Sin whiles I am recording what may offend the guilty though the Charge be too plain to admit a Denial Let us Enquire Is England altogether innocent as to its Laws Do not we see that some of the terms of Conformity are far other than our blessed Lord hath instituted Are they not remote from a tendency to advance real Piety and exclusive of some things that would much conduce thereto Is not a Diocesan Bishop set up whose sole Jurisdiction barrs all the other Ministers from the Exercise of a great part of their Office while the Bishop is utterly unable to perform it through the largeness of his Diocess Is there not more than an Umbrage of Lying and Perjury imposed on all Ministers when they must Assent Subscribe and Swear to what is more than suspicious yea utterly false Are not a heap of Ceremonies and corrupt Usages re-assumed though once cast out to the facilitating of the return of Popery dividing of Protestants and the scandal of the weak who are too apt to place Religion yea all their Religion in those Vanities How many severe Laws were made against Dissenters and severely executed to the ruin of Thousands Was it no provocation to silence Two Thousand Faithful Ministers when their Labours were so necessary and their places were to be filled up with many young Men who have proved fatal to serious Religion The Sacrament is made a Politick Engine to further the Damnation of unworthy Receivers that all such may be kept out whom they suspect any way hazardous to excessive Pomp and Ecclesiastick Pageantry Can the Land be Innocent where Atheism is so professed the most Blasphemous Oathes are fashionable Perjury Uncleanness Drunkenness Malignity against all credible Holiness so common and consistent with Reputation VVas it not among us that the Covenant was burnt by the hands of a Common Hangman and horrid Murthers committed as legal Executions Is not that Christian Nation guilty where prophanation of Sabbaths is so notorious yea pleaded for as warrantable Most Families have nothing of Gods VVorship the plainest Essentials of Religion by few understood the Operations of the Spirit turned into Ridicule and Religion placed in things that bear not a faint resemblance of the very form of it while Sobriety its self is meer matter of Scoff and the Fountains of Learning send forth many more fitted to Infect than Reform the Age Is it to be concealed that Men enter on the Ministry as Apprentices on a Trade and use it as a meer means for a Livelihood How many are Pastors without the peoples Consent And too many preach while unacquainted with the Gospel as a Law of Faith and Rule of the Recovery of Apostate Sinners The Labors of such have no tendency to Convert or Edifie their Hearers yea alass Conversion is judged a Foolish thing to urge All the most Debauched and Prophane are Regenerate if they were Baptized and come to Church Many Souls eternally perish by the influence of this one principle and the Ministry is diverted from its greatest end Have we not seen the Ministry too much laid out to serve the late Governments in designs of enslaving the Nations and ruining the Life of the Protestant Religion Though amazing was the Providence which almost too late opened some Mens Eyes by a close attempt against their own places and so swayed their Minds that they contributed to save the Land from that Ruin which a few more Sermons of Non resistance if believed by the Nation had rendred unavoidable The good Lord continue that impulse least our Miseries become greater by the beginnings of our Deliverance I design not this Account of all our publick Ministers blessed be God