cruel Enemies 6. That visible Priviledges are no security from Satan it 's not enough to be baptized with water unâ—â—â—s we be also baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire it 's not enough to be a Member of the visible Church if we be not also of Christs invisible Flock Satan is not teâ—â—ified by these outward things he is not afraid to assault those that are Christs nominally and to endeavour to make them his own really Let it teach us then to beware that we trust not in lying words have a care of crying The Temple of the Lord Satan desires no better advantage upon us then to draw us to rest secure upon this bottom Bless God for our Priviledges but rest not in them prize but do not deifie them if you would not be made the prey of Satan 2ly Let us all in particular learn righteousness by this monument that is before us let it awaken us all to reform our hearts and lives to be more careful to and over our selves for the time to come let it indeed appear that we have been proficients in this School of Gods Judgements that God hath brought Correction and Teaching together that so in the winding up it may be found an happy Judgement Let us therefore apply it to our selves in our particular respects I. Let it be a Doctrinal Providence to Young and Old First To you that are Elder and more grown up in years let it awaken you 1. Consider how many more provocations God hath had from you then he hath had from this poor creature how many more Ordinances and Providences have attended upon you then ever did upon her think how long you have lived in Gods world and yet have done him little or no service since you came into it and therefore let this awaken you to see how it stands with you how the matter goes between God and your Souls whether you are secure under his wings and at peace with him When you see one so much younger then you thus visited Oh think upon what ground you stand fear the like or worse if you are yet in an uncertain state Let it in a special manner awaken old ones to make their calling and election sure considering how much danger you are in 2. Let it teach you how much you have had of the patience of God exercised towards you that God hath born with and forborn you so long you have lived a great while longer in the world and it may be have been more enormous and flagitious in your lives-thenever this poor creature was possibly you have lived in scandalous sins and grievous pollutions if you should consider and ask a Reason why God hath taken her and not taken you you may see and say that if God had gone according to outward appearance or extremity of rigour there had been transcendently more ground why he should have come upon you Oh then when you see one so young and one not observed to be guilty of any flagitious crimes taken while you are by Gods goodness spared learn to admire at and worship the patience of God towards you 3. Let it therefore teach you to amend your wayes and reform your lives and that speedily it may be a great argument to quicken you up no longer to use delayes nor put off God coming to you in his Word and perswading you by his Spirit to repent and return to him Oh see in this lecture upon what slippery and dangerous ground you stand and have stood all this while and if God had been severe towards you you had not had this opportunity of being called to Repentance and then learn to shake off all delayes to put by all excuses and bless God that you yet have an opportunity Secondly You that are Young ones behold here one of your Tribe and Form as I may say one of your own years pickt out of you by the wise Providence of God to be made an object of Gods severity and mans pity Out of doubt there is an especial Cry to you Young ones to Remember your Creator in the dayes of your youth you have been often counselled and admonished in the House of God yea earnestly and compassionately intreated to devote your young time to God to give up the prime of your years to him but you have slighted and disregarded such Counsels and Calls and have taken up firm resolutions that you would have your childish and youthful vanities let God by his Messenger say what he would to you Well now God hath singled you out in his Providence and thunders out his minde to you in this sad Object and what do you now say to it will you hear Gods voice or will you forbear are you still resolved in your vain courses or will you learn Righteousness if you would but encline your ears you might here observe God speaking something to you 1. Learn that there is no safety in dallying with the Spirit of God who comes early to bespeak your Souls for God God shews that he hath a quarrel with the Youth for slâ—ghting and despising Counsels and Reproofs he would that you should know he is in haste for an answer and will not wait long if you triflâ— away your time God looks that where there is so much of Gospel lightâ— and so many endeavours used by Church and Common-wealth for the instruction of Youth in the Wayes of God there should be answerable improvement made and will have you to know that his patience will not wait so long as in places of ignorance Let it therefore teach you to beware how you presume upon hereafter and promising your selves that there is time enough you may follow your vain courses yet a little longer Wâ—â—les you are thinking it is too soon to repent and amend how soon may God come and declare that it is too late that his patience is spent and there is no more room left for Repentance 2. That either God or the Devil will have your young time you are here at your choice God by his Word and Spirit is tendring you to receive you into his service and declaring how acceptable and pleasing it will be to him but if you will not give your time to him you will to a worse Master the Devil stands waiting yea endeavouring for you and if Gods yoke please you not he will easily perswade you to take his and though that may seem delightful for the present yet know it it will be bitterness in the latter end 3. That if Young ones will not have Christ to reign over them he may give them over into the hands and power of Satan if Christs sweet government do not please you you shall be left under the tyranny and cruelty of the Devil Oh then learn hence not to despise and contemn the Calls of the Gospel lest God come out in Judgement against you and put you into the everlasting possession of that cruel Enemy of your Souls II. Let
VSEFVL INSTRVCTIONS for a professing People in Times of great SECURITY AND DEGENERACY Delivered in several SERMONS on Solemn Occasions By Mr. Samuel Willard Pastor of the Church of Christ at Groton Ezek. 3. 17. Son of Man I have made thee a Watchman to the House of Israel therefore hear the Word at my mouth and give them warning from me Amos 3. 8. The Lord God hath spoken who can but Prophesy Jer. 2. 31. O Generation See ye the Word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto Israel a Land of darkeness wherefore say my People we are Lordâ— we will come no more unto thee Haggai 1. 5 7. Thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes CAMBRIDGE Printed by Samuel Green 1673 To his Beloved Friends the Inhabitants of GROTON THat it was not a desire to appear in publick but to answer your requests gave light to the ensuing Sermons ye are my witnesses and that in the publishing of them I have noâ— endeavoured to vaâ—nish and paint them over with flourishes of men pleasing words the thing it self may speak in the reading you shall finde nothing but what was delivered in Preaching Touching the occasion of them I need not advertise you you may well enough call to minde the loud voice of speaking proâ—idences which forâ—ad me in such a day to be silent The sad â—andof God whicâ— was upon the poor possessed Creature which produced that on Isai 26. 9. hath sounded through this Wilderness but you were eye witnesses of it the Lord affect your hearts and give you to learn righteousness The other two were also upon solemn Occasions the hand of God upon this Land and us in particular â—ids Ministers to cry aloud the Lord God hath spoken who can but Prophesie I know mans corruption is not willing to beclosâ—ly dealt withal but I hope many of you have not so learned Christ My hearts desire and prayer for you is that you may be prepared for shaking times and the nearer they approach the more need have we to be hastened and roused from our loytering If these poor labours of mine may help in that great business â—have my ends fully answered and my desire for you is that those affections may be blown up again in the reading which were kindled in the preaching I know I have but a while to be among you if God please to makâ— me by these or any other weak endeavours to be under him instrumental of your 〈◊〉 good I shall dye with joy and so meet you all at the right hand of our Judge in that great day is the highest ambition of Your unworthy Minister S. W. Jer. 7. 12. But go ye now unto my Place which is in Shiloh c. IN the beginning of this Chapter the Lord sends by his Prophet to call Judah and Jerusalem to true Repentance encourageing them to it by a promise of establishment of their peace and mercies in case they would so do vâ—r 1 2 3 5 6 7. c. That this counsell of his may take effect upon them he endeavours to reclaim them from their vain confidence in their external worship and enjoyment of the Temple and Ordinances ver 4. After which he enlargeth himselfe by a Declaration of their hypocâ—â—◠〈◊〉 dealings and false trust in the Temple as if it were a sure safe gâ—â—rd tâ— them from punishment notwithstanding all their wicked abomâ—â—◠〈◊〉 on s ver 8 9 10. which vanity he declares to bâ— a changing of a 〈◊〉 of holy worship into a den of â—obhers ver 11. and then gives them to understand that he takes notice of it And in the Text further 〈◊〉 theâ— off from their vain confidence by sending them to Shiloh to take notice of his dealing with them for thir sins From the context diverse Truths are Observable Doct. 1. When God is never so much provoked with a people 〈◊〉 yet tenders them termes of peace before he cutts them off In the thâ—eâ— last verses of the former Chapter he shews what they were 〈◊〉 rebellious and counselless people on whom he had laid out much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he had sent many messengers who had spent their breath 〈◊〉 lives to no purpose and yet here again he sends an invitation to reâ—â—â—tance with a conditional promise of good before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last sentence against them The like we shall find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 1. and 18. 11. c. Reason 1. From the great desire which God hath that sinners shâ—â—◠〈◊〉 liâ—e that he may verifie that truth Ezek. â—8 â—â— That sinners 〈◊〉 know where the true and proper cause oâ— their destrâ—ction 〈◊〉 â—haâ— is in themselves and not in him they shall not have the blame to 〈◊〉 â—pon God in the least and therefore he proâ—â—ers pardon and 〈◊〉 holds out the flag of peace before them that if in the time of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will come in they may and welcome Reas 2. From the Attributes of mercy and long-suffering which discover themselves in withholding the stroak of vengeance and holding his hand back Ier. 3. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 9. God will have a time for all his Attributes to appear now is the day of mercy and now God will let sinners have large trusts of it he warns yea follows on to warne and perswade with a people that if it be possible they may escape Reas 3. For the advancement of his glory by his patience God aâ—mâ— at himself his own glory in all his doings now by this Clemency of his he will gaine honour either to his mercy in their welfare or his justice in their ruine which every way God will be a gainer hereby if they râ—pent how will they magnifie his patience and so bearance if they be â—bstinate and perish how eminently will he clear his justice in their ruine Use 1. This may convince us how unreasonable a thing it is to sin against God is God so unwilling to punish so desirous to do us good so ready to pardon us who would sin against and provoke such a God â—old presumptuous and horrible is that spirit of iniquity that makes Gods patience and mercy his encouragement to sin would we deal so by man who would take encoucagement to vex and anger one that is good and patient to us that is the aggravation of their sin Psal 1â—6 43. their deliverances were the occasion of their presumption to sin Use 2. What encouragement is there here to us after all our grievous sins to return to the Lord by Repentance God is yet ready to receive us and râ—store his mercies unto us and therefore let us be quickned up by this consideration motive 1. Consider the wonderful self denyal that there is in God he needs us â—ot but could do well enough without us being self-sufficient in himself yea hath Angels which attend upon him and that he should acâ—ept of dust and ashes much more unprofitable sinful creatures and â—ceive them into mercy oh what a condescendency is this 2.
in forgetfulness came afresh into his memory 3. Hence they are to put the creature into fear of the same wrath and terror as Scholars when they see their Master take the rod in hand to punish offendors every one presently considers what his faults have been and if he have been tardy he stands quivering and quaking fearfully expecting when his time and turn will come to be called forth 4. Now the soul is put upon the study and consideration how to prevent and escape severe and like plagues now he be-thinks himself of making his peace of coming and seeking a pardon for fear least by obstinacy he bring himself to ruine 5. Now the creature is alarm'd to Repentance he had calls before but those he regarded not but now he sees there is no longer delaying and playing with the threatnings of God and now if ever is the soul in a likely way to be reclaimed Use Of counsel and exhortation to us in the words of the Text go to Shiloh c. In the prosecution of which use I shall 1. Bring you to Shiloh and shew you what God did to it and for what 2. Draw some useful instructions from the consideration of Shiloh and press them in a few words of counsel I. Then go to Shiloh and here consider 1. What Shiloh was 2. What were their sins 3. Gods judgments on it 1. What Shiloh was we have it in the words of the Text in two things 1. It was Gods place i. e. a peculiar place which he had chosen to himself his chief place 2. It was the place where God set his name at the first i. e. It was the first Tent or Tabernacle where God set up his Ordinances and called his name upon it after he had given to his people Israel possession of the land of Canaan as we shall find in Joshua 18. 1. here it was that after the Arke had been unsettled for 40 years and upward in the wilderness God first chose it a fixed place here was God worshiped first-after he had granted a settlement to his people Israel The Tabernacle was a Testimony of Gods presence with his people hither the Tribes came up to worship here it was that God manifested his great glory by this it was that God declared Israel to be a peculiar people to himself so that Shiloh was not only a part of Godâ— dwelling place for so were all the Tribes nor only a habitation of Gods people for so were all other Cities Towns and Villages where Israel dwelt but it was the place of Gods manifesting himself to his peole his especial habitation 2. What was the wickedness of Shiloh for the Lord shews that it was for that that he did that to it which he had done Text now we shall see the sin of Shâ—loh if we look into 1 Sam. 2. 12. c. which was the sin of the Priests in contemning the Ordinances of God giving an evil example to the people and enriching themselves in a way of abuse of Gods Institutions and thereby discouraging the people from serving of God and of Eli in bearing with the wickedness and not severely punishing the sin of his sons which God interprets as a preferring them before him ver 21. c. and Psal 78. 41. to 60. where their horrible ingratitude in forgetting Gods mercies and woful-Idolatry is declared this was Israels sin the Priests and people were polluted and defiled and alienated from God there was a continuance of Ordinances and sacrifice but both abuse of Ordinances and Idolatry both in profession and practise 3. The judgments of God upon his people Israel and upon Shiloh in particular we shall find recorded in scripture what God did to it for that is the thing which God would have in especial be minded look into 1 Sam. 4. 10. 11 where you shall find the judgment denounced and more amply we shall read of the execution of it in Psal 78. 59. to 68. where we have described unto us the effects of their sins â— In alienating of Gods affections from them turning of his former love into hatred ver 59. God had formerly loved Israel they were to him a choice people tender as the apple of ones eye tenderly taken care for and fostered by him protected from evils dandled in the lap of his providence and singularly respected by him as we shall find amply related to us in Deut. 32. 7 c. But now his heart was hardned against them and his former love turned into abhorrence and detestation 2. The consequents following upon this or the tokens whereby God signified and expressed his displeasure unto them which are 1. God departed and forsook them even his own house not only the other Cities of Israel but even his own tent at Shiloh ver 60. 2. When God had left them all miseries followed ver 61. c. their crown was taken from their head and their enemies which formerly were tributary to them now lord it over them yea an universal deluge of miseries came upon them as you may there read Thus you see Shiloh once chosen by God where he set up his Ordinances made his name to dwell and shone forth in his wonderful glory forsaken by God and buryed in its own ruines altogether disowned and refused as a place of abhorrence and contempt 3. Let us consider what we may learn at Shiloh observe here even from the consideration of this example 1. That God hath no where on earth so engaged himself and his presence but that sin may drive him away where was his name greater then at Shiloh there was the Tabernacle there was the Priests and Levites serving there were daily morning and evening sacrifices thither came the tribes yearly to appear before God there were the seals of Gods Covenant yet is Shiloh deserted and destroyed Ierusalem may also witness this truth the once dwelling place of God where the Temple was the place whereof God had said this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Psal 132. 14. but now behold it deserted and twice made the subject of Gods fury and not so much as the ruines of it left to testifie what it was a stone not to be found upon a stone hence therefore learn we not to promise our selves security if we be found in the ways of sin whatsoever engagement and covenant God may seem to stand bound in unto us God knows how to keep up his glory in the world though we be ruinated he can keep up a Church in the world though we be left desolate the stones of the field if he but speak the word shall rise up children of Abraham the remotest ends of the earth shall come in and the children of the Kingdom shall be thrust out let not this therefore be your rest 2. That Sion affords no more security to sinners then Sodom Shiloh is as dangerous a place to sin in as any in the world if a people in