SOme Geographers have obser­ved that there is no Land so placed in the World, but from that Land a man may veiw some other Land: though between Land and Land you may see Seas enraged with stormes and tempests, yet land is still within ken. An observation, perhaps, of more curiosity [Page 2] than verity in the material Sea of this World: yet most certain if it be applyed to the mistical Sea of Gods Judgments, (which the Royal Prophet compares to a great deep) and the dry land of his mer­cy: though between mercy, Psa. 36. 6. and mer­cy God interposeth a raging Ocean of trouble and calamity, raised by the storme of his indignation, so that men seeme to be in the condition of the mate­rial world, Gen. 7. When the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and all the high hils that were under the whole Heaven were covered.

Omnia pontus erant, deerant quoque littora Ponto.

All was a Sea and that Sea had no shores, yet if they looke but onward they cannot miss of a prospect of dry land, of Mercy. The Almighty God hath so interwoven these two in the dispensation of his pro­vidence, that the one is never discernable without the other. When God landeth his people in the Haven of prosperity, [Page 3] he would have them look back on the tempestuous Sea from which they are esca­ped, and fear his Justice: when he lancheth them forth into the depth of misery he carries them not out of sight of land, that there may be hope of mercy. Thus doth the most Gracious God in the midst of Judgment remember Mercy, and giveth even the vally of Achor, Hos. 2 15. the vally of trouble for a door of hope, and in the deepest Ocean of his Judgments, dis­covers a little Island of Mercy to repaire to. And thus did he of old deal with his People the Jewes; He caused the King of Babylon to arise like waters out of the North, Jer. 47. 2. and to become an over­flowing flood, and to overflow the land and all that was therein, whereby they were swept away into Captivity; yet then when these waters did so overflow their heads that they said they were cut off, Lam. 3. 54. the all-merciful God lifted up their heads, and shewed them a prospect of mercy, by a faithful promise of delive­rance [Page 4] after seventy years: at which harbour they are no sooner arrived, but their sins provoke God to bring them back into the Sea of his Judgments, and he afflicts them with famine, ye have sown much and bring in little: ye eat but have not enough: ye drinke but ye are not filled with drinke: &c. vers. 6. of this Chapter; Yet even here though the Sea roared, and the Heaven was black with Clouds, that God which gave to the Sea his decree, saying, Thus far shalt thou go and no farther, and there thy proud waves shall be staied; not only discovers a Cape of good Hope, and makes a path in that mighty water for his ransomed to pass to it, Go up to the Mountain, and bring wood, and build the House: and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord, vers. 8: but also gives them a faithful representation of their present state and condition, with the by-path that brought them into it, that so they might be indu­ced to consider their waies, and leave [Page 5] them and return into the way of peace, and this he doth in the words of my Text: Ye looked for much, and loe it comes to little, &c.

So that my Text is made up of the two parts of Davids Song, Psalm 101. 1. Mercy, and Judgment, which in God are alwayes twisted together, Gracious and righteous is the Lord, Psal. 25. 8. and all his pathes are mercy and truth, v. 10, Not one path of mercy, and another of truth, but every path mercy, and truth both. The red Cross of his Justice (as in your City Armes) is born on the white Field of his mercy: as these therefore were the burden of David's Ditty, so they must be the support of my Meditations, and the object of your Attentions Judgment and Mercy, the former included in the very words of my Text, the latter in the designe and scope of those words.

And first of the Judgment, that so I may end with that, which is not onely [Page 6] the end of all our aimes, and desires, but of all Gods Judgments too, and that is Mercy.

In the Judgment we may consider, First, The Judgment it self, which was Famine.

Secondly, The Author of it, the Lord of Host.

Thirdly, The cause moving God to it, the neglect of Gods House.

The Judgment very dreadfull, the inflicter most powerful, the cause pro­voking exceeding sinful.

And first of the Judgment, which we shall consider, first in it's nature:

Secondly, In it's severity.

First, Of the nature of it, it was Famine, a generall want of the supports of this life, because of the failing of the creature, both in the production and breeding; Ye sow much and bring in little: and in the vigour, and nourishing power of them; ye eat, but are not satisfied. And this is a sore, and dreadfull Judgment, King [Page 7] David choseth the Pestilence as the lesser evil, which yet was so destructive, that there died of the people in less then three daies space, 2 Sam. 24. threescore and ten thousand men, of whose destructive nature too, he could not be ignorant, having an instance in the law of Moses (wherein he meditated day and night) of three and twenty thousand slain by it, while Aaron was putting incense into the Censer; And as he prefers the Pestilence, so the Prophet Jeremy, the Sword: They that be slain with the sword, are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. Lam. 4. 9. and yet the Sword makes a deplorable desolation; take it in the words of the prophet Joel: A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness, yea and nothing shall escape them.

Neither is it less dismal in its effects, [Page 8] for necessity is an hard weapon, and want will make a man part with any thing: fourscore pieces of Silver (ten pound sterling) for an Asses head, and five pieces of Silver (12 s. and 6 d.) for the fourth part of a Kab (which is but halfe a pint) of Doves dung, 2. King. 6. 25. The Aegyptians who were famous, or rather infamous for their covetousness, yet can part with all their mony for Corn. Gen. 47. It not only makes men forget common humanity, for the people are ready to stone Moses, who had done so great things for them, when they are ready to starve, Exod. 17: but it dissolves all the bonds of nature, making men to eat, not only dogs, cats, and rats, but one another; pone pre­tium humanae carni, was a proclamation in Rome in Honorius daies. And in Eng­land An. 1316. Men did eat one another, and thieves newly brought into the Goale were torn in pieces and eaten halfe alive, by them that had been longer in: nay it stifles natural affection. In this Famine [Page 9] of my Text, Neh. 5. 5. the Jewes sold their Sons and their Daughters for bond-slaves to buy Corne; And in the before mentioned, in Samaria Parents did devour their own Children. The Prophet Esay foretels of one, Isa. 9. 29. wherein every man should eat the flesh of his owne arme; And our Chro­nicles tell us of one in England about An. 700. So violent that not only many dyed for hunger, but great numbers joyned hand in hand 40 or 50 in a company, and threw themselves headlong into the Sea.

But we shall better understand how sad, and dreadful this Judgment was, if we shall consider it in relation to several circumstances hinted in the Text.

The first whereof is the country afflicted, a most plentiful and fruitful land, A land like not only the Garden of Eden, but the Garden of God, full of all kind of pleasant and delightful fruits; which cannot be described more fully, and signally, than Moses hath done it to our hands: Deut. 8. 7. A good land, a land of brooks of waters, [Page 10] of fountaines and depths that spring out of the Vallies. A land of Wheat and Barly, and Vines, and Figtrees, and Pomegranats: a land of Oyle-olive, and Hony: A land wherein they might eat bread without scarceness: a land whose Stones were Iron, and out of whose Hils they might dig Brass. And again, c. 32. 13. A land wherein they might suck Honey out of the Rocks, and Oyl out of the flinty Rocks; But­ter of Kine, and Milk of Sheep, with Fat of Lambs, and Rams of the breed of Bashan, and Goats, with the fat of Kidnies of Wheat, and drink the pure blood of the Grape. A Land which had not only plenty for it self, but bounty for others: For the Country of Tyre, Act 12. 20. was nourished by this Country. That this fruit­full Land should become barren; that this Paradise should be turned into a Wilder­ness; that there should be scarcity in such a fruitfull Land, is the first aggravating circumstance.

The second is, That it was National, u­niversal, an over-spreading Famine; a comprehensive Judgment, like a Chain-shot [Page 11] bearing all before it, reaching to all men, the great and good, as well the mean and wicked: Zerubbabel the Governour, and Joshua the High Priest; for to them the Pro­phet speaks, verse 1. They are included in this, Ye look for much, &c. Wisedom, Riches, or Strength may secure from other annoyances, but Scarcity, and Famine strike at the Life of every man. The King as well as the Clown must beg for daily bread; and the profit of the Earth is for all. That the King himself is served by the Field, was wise Solomons observation. Ecc. 5. 9. And King A­hab may be an evidence of it; who in time of Dearth could not help himself, 2. King 6. 27. much less others, out of the Barn-floor, or out of the Wine-press. Even the Saints have their share, and portion in it, as being parts, and members of that people which is to be pu­nished; and though not actors in those gross impieties which kindle the fire of Gods vengeance, yet are guilty of sins, though of a smaller nature, which add to the few­el of Gods wrath. Zerubbabel and Joshua, [Page 12] though perhaps not themselves in fault, or at least not so much, for they were both very Religious, yet because not so forward, and putting forth as they should have been, are lyable to the common Judgment.

The third Character of the Severity of this Judgment, was the season of it, which was immediatly after their returne from the Babylonian Captivity; They had but a very little breathing space from the burden of that Yoake, when God laies on an hea­vyer: there, to use Jeroboams expression, 1 King. 12. 24. they were Chastised with Whips but here with Scorpions. There, very probably, they had meat after their labour, and though they trod out the Corn, their mouths were not muzled, their masters sometimes lifted up the Yoake, and set meat before them. As in Aegypt, although they had hard Taskes, and cruel Task-masters, yet they had their Fleshpots, and their Garlicks, and their Onyons to the full; bnt now they labour, and have nothing to eat, thus the Messen­gers of ill newes, as to Job, did throng [Page 13] upon them, one at the heeles of another, which was none of the smallest aggravations of this Calamity, that it followed so imme­diatly on the neck of the other.

The fourth marke of the Severity of this Judgment, was the frustration of their hopes, and expectations: Ye looked for much, and loe, it came to little. If hope deferred makes the heart sick. Prov. 13. 12. Hope frustrate, and lost, can do no lesse then breake it. When men thinke them­selves sure, as Esau did of the blessing, and it then failes them, this is matter of bitter weeping. For God to take away the Corn in the time thereof, and the Wine in the season thereof, that is just at harvest, when it is to be inned: when the old store is spent, and they looke for a new recruit, then to have the meat cut from their mouths, and the morsel from between their teeth, then to have their hopes defeated, high­tens the misery.

A fifth print of the Severity of this Judgment, was the loss of their labour. [Page 14] It is very frequent, and scarce ever other­wise, to see the Sluggards hopes blasted; he that will not sow in Winter, can never promise himselfe to reap in Harvest; but after Plowing, Sowing, nay Reaping too, and bringing home, to find but little, that adds to the weight of the want: No­thing so much discontents men as labour in vain; to take paines, and to see no­thing come of it, is enough to make a Pro­phet complain; Isa. 49. 4. to labour all night in fish­ing, and take nothing may tempt an Apo­stle to desist. To labour in the fire, and to weary themselves for vanity, to lose oleum & operam, cost and paines, is suffi­cient to bring men to desperation; Espe­cially when that little which is coming in, doth no good; when God blows on it, and takes away the nourishing virtues, so that either men dare not eat their fill▪ for feare of want another day; or if they do eat, the Staffe of bread being broken for want of Gods concurrence, they are not satisfied A Boulimy, or Canine appetite, being a [Page 15] disease common at such times, when in the fulness of their sufficiency (as Zophar in Job speaks of the wicked) they are in streights; Job. 20. 22. that little is so far from abating, that it encreaseth the Calamity: And so much for the first Particular, the Judgment with the Severity of it.

The Second thing is the Author of this Judgment. I did blow upon it, Saith the Lord of Hosts. Shall there be Evil in the Citty, and I have not done it, Saith God him­selfe, Am. 3. 6. God Challengeth the exe­cution of Justice to himselfe; not only at the Last Day, but in this world, and it is as agreeable to his nature now, as it will be hereafter. It is not luck, or fortune that tosseth or tumbleth things below; but God sits at the stern, and steers the affairs of this World. The Genealogy of all the good creatures is resolved by God into himself, Hos. 2▪ 21. Unless he hear the Hea­vens, and the Heavens hear the Earth, no Corn, or Wine, or Oyle can be expected. The Earth is a kind Mother, yet it cannot [Page 16] open her bowels to yield seed to the sower, or bread to the eater, if it be not watered from above. The Heavens are the Storehou­ses of Gods good treasure, which he open­eth to mans profit and nourishment, yet they cannot drop down fatness on the earth, if God close it up, and with-hold the sea­sonable showers, which he can do if he please, and will do, if he be provoked.

First, He can do it easily.

Secondly, He will do it justly.

First, He can do it easily. It is but his blowing upon it, and it is done. As he made all things, so he can dissolve them by the breath of his mouth. Psa. 104. 29. 30. He hideth his face, and the creatures are troubled; he taketh away their breath and they dye. He sendeth forth his breath and they are created, and reneweth the face of the Earth. Psa. 90. 3. He turneth man to destru­ction, and again he saith, come again ye chil­dren of men. And this he can do so easily because he is the Lord of Hosts; a title fre­quently used by these three last Prophets, Haggai, Zachary, and Malachy, who pro­phesying [Page 17] after the Jews return from the Ba­bylonian Captivity, when their state was at the lowest, scarce ever name God by any other title; to denote unto them, how easie it was for him to bring his Judgments upon them, and to remove them again; all crea­tures being at his command as Lord of Hosts; and like the Centurions Servants, if he say to one, Mat. 8. 9. Go, hee goeth, to another, Come, hee cometh: and to a third, Do this, hee doth it. When he will do a thing, who shall hinder him? Nature may be resisted, and stopped in her course; Men and Devils, though ne­ver so potent, may want of their will, and be crossed in their designes and desires; but the Lord of Hosts doth whatsoever he will, both in Heaven and Earth without controul or contradiction.

Secondly, He will do it justly. Gods Judgments are not alwaies manifest, they are alwaies just. And he may say as David to his Brethren in another case; 1. Sam. 17. 29. What have I now done? is there not a cause? God never punisheth a People: but there is a just [Page 18] cause for it, and could men but see it, the root of the matter would be found in themselves. Job. 19. 28. It is the Plague of their own hearts, that procures them all their mis­chief; and this might have been put among the aggravations of the Judgment, that it is from themselves that they are the cause of their own ruine; that they may thank themselves, and blame their sin, as the Mo­ther of their misery, and cause of their Calamity, Hos. 13. 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self, Saith God. So that there is no ground of complaint: Lam. 3. 36. why should a living man complain: a man for the punishment of his sin? Had man never been sinful, he had never been miserable; had he never lift up his heart against Heaven to provoke, God, God had never lift up his hand on earth to punish man. If these Jewes would but have considered their own waies, as God himselfe exhorts them twice in a breath, vers 5. and 7. They might have easily found the Serpent that bit them, to be lurking in their own bosom; the contempt [Page 19] and neglect of Gods worship, which brings me to

The Third particular, The cause of this Judgment, why saith the Lord of Hosts? &c.

Wherein three things offer themselves to our Consideration:

First, The sin it's selfe, Gods House lyes wast.

Secondly, The Aggravation of that sin, Ye run every man to his own house.

Thirdly, The Proportion between the sin, and the punishment.

First, The sin it selfe, is, that Gods House is suffered to lie wast. This House, which God Challengeth to himself, as his own possession, was that glorious fabrick of the Temple at Jerusalem, built by King Solomon, and consecrated by him to Gods immediate worship, and which God was pleased to accept of, and wherein he pro­miseth to dwell for ever. This is my rest for ever, Psa. 132. 14. here will I dwell, for I have desired it, saith God. Although he be the [Page 20] high and lofty one, that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy; Although he be infi­nite, and Comprehended in no place, and so dwelleth not in Temples made with hands: yet it was his good pleasure, that Solomon should build him an house, wherein as to his manifestative presence, he was resolved to dwell more especialy among his people the Children of Israel, whither he would have the Tribes goe up, the Tribes of the Lord, Psal. 122. 4. unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. And this he calls his house. My House, saith he, shall be called the House of Prayer, and in my Text, Because of my House, which is wast.

Wast, the Hebrew word signifies pro­perly dryed up. A similitude taken from a piece of ground, dried up, and parched by the Sun, so that nothing is able to grow in it, and is used by the Holy Ghost to express an extreame desolation, and de­struction. His spring shall become dry, and his foundation dryed up, saith the Prophet [Page 21] Hosea of Samaria, when he would set forth their utter ruine: Hos. 13. 15. so that their sin was the permitting Gods House to lie in it's ru­ines, and not repaire it.

And it is observable that these Jews had not demolished it themselves, they had not laid it wast; that was done by Necuchadnezzar, and his Officers, it was they which set fire to the Temple, these had no hand at all in it: and yet it is look­ed on as a sin in them, that it is wast. Not only pulling down Churches, but not re­pairing, when God gives oportunity is a sin. Omissions are sins with God, as well as Commissions. It was the rich mans ruine, not that he robbed the poor, but that he did not relieve them. Fasting as well as fulness may breed diseases, and make work for the Sexton or Physitian. Not onely the commission of evill sinks men to Hell, but the omission of goodness. The Fig-tree had no bad fruit on it, and yet was cursed because it had none at all; the forbearance of wic­kedness is not enough to acquit the soul, un­less [Page 22] there be a performance of Righteous­ness. These Jews are condemned, not for wasting Gods House, but letting it lye waste. That's the first, the sin.

The Second thing is the aggravation of this, by their self-seeking. Ye run every man to his own House, or, Ye take pleasure every man in his own House: Ye are all self-seekers pri­vate-spirited persons, all for your own In­terest, none for the honour and glory of God. They were like the Tortoyse, Toti in se, wholly drawn up into themselves, and in­sensible of the publike good, or common danger of Church and Religion: Far from Nehemiah's temper, who drowned all selfe-respect in Gods glory, and the publick good; far from true goodness, which will be pub­lick spirited, although it be to private dis­advantage: And if nature will venture its own particular good for the general, as hea­vy things will ascend, to keep out a vacuity and preserve the Universe; much more will grace make men in all their desires and de­signs to study Gods end more then their [Page 23] own, and as Solomon did to build Gods House first, and afterward their own; and not like these Jews, who so themselves were warm in their Feathers, in their own houses, never did regard the ruines of Gods House.

Secondly, This self-seeking is aggravated in two particulars; First, In the persons guilty; and Secondly, In their earnestness in that guilt.

First, In the persons guilty. The first universally; Secondly, Emphatically.

First, Ye; universally; every man of you, e­ven the best of you, Zerubbabel, and Joshua too. When all Flesh have corrupted their way, when all the foundations are out of course, when as in Sodom, all the people from every quarter, both old and young, are guilty; no wonder then that God punish­eth. When not onely private men, but publick run into the same sin, it is then in­corrigible as to man, those that should pu­nish it being themselves guilty, and there­fore then it is time for God to lay to his hand; for private men to have private spi­rits [Page 24] and to run every man to his own House, to mind their own particular good, is no such rare thing, but for publick persons to have private aims, to have such narrow souls as to mind themselves only, this is an ag­gravation of the crime.

Secondly, Ye, emphatically; Ye that are so much concerned in it, when others not so much, or not at all concerned in it, have been so zealous. When Cyrus and Darius, a payr of outlandish, and Heathen Kings, shall not onely give leave to the Jews to re­turn to their Countrey, and build both their City and Temple, but also restore the Vessels and Jewels, which had been taken from it, and allow the expences of the buil­ding out of their own Revenues; and sup­ply them with Sacrifices, with a check to all Adversaries; be ye far from thence, and a peremptory Decree, That whosoever should alter that sentence, that the Wood should be pulled down from his House and he hanged thereon; And lastly, a dire­ful imprecation on all those, whether Kings [Page 25] or People, that should put their hands to alter and destroy the House of God which is in Jerusalem; the History whereof you may read at large in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; when these shall thus zealously, and earnestly promote the work, and the Jews themselves universally, who were most concerned, be careless and negligent, this is a first aggravation of the sin.

A Second is their diligence and earnest­ness in their own private interest, Ye run e­very man, &c. When ye do not so much as creep, crawl, or go to Gods House. They thought no time, no labour, no cost, too much for their own House; and every lit­tle portion of either of them too much for Gods. The least cost is esteemed mispent, saying with Judas, To what purpose is this wast; the lazyest labour is accounted lost. It is in vain to serve the Lord, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance, say these very men, Mal. 3. 14. The shortest time is thought cast away; The time is not come, The time that the Lords House should be [Page 26] built, say they, vers. 2. They followed the business of their own Houses earnestly and industriously, but of Gods very negligent­ly; which, if nothing else; were enough to condemn them.

The third considerable in the sin, is the proportion between that and the punish­ment, [...] they leave Gods House, Chareb, wast; God, [...] vers. 11. cals for Chereb, a drought, or as the Septuagint probably read it, [...] Choreb, a Sword, which shall in like manner lay their Land wast, and their House desolate, they had pinched on Gods side, and he pays them home in the same kind, they thought in the Famine to have kept the more for themselves; and they had less for keeping from him, that which was his own. A just hand of God upon all such, who think eve­ry thing too much for his service, for the most part they are alwayes in want and nee­dy, their wealth melting away like Snow be­fore the Sun. The Merchant that denyes to pay his Customs, forfeits all his Commo­dities; they forfeit their own portion, who [Page 27] with-hold Gods from him. God tames his Prodigals, and starves their bodies, who by neglect of his worship starve their owne souls; God denies the same external things to them which they deny to Gods House.

But might not these Jews have pleaded against this Sentence, and charged God with too much severity, saying with their Forefathers, The way of the Lord is not equal? What is this Temple more then another place? Cannot we worship God in any House as well as this? Is not God a spirit, Joh 4. 24. and will be worship­ed in spirit and truth; and that we may do in any Mountain as well as this?

Whereunto although it might be a suffi­cient answer to say with S. Paul, Rom. 9. 20. O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Shall sinful man plead with his Maker? Yet because this malapert sauciness is the temper of many in this age, as well as that; that the most just God may be justified when he speaketh, and clear when he judgeth, we may take notice [Page 28] of the equity of it, by a twofold conside­ration; First, Of the nature of the place; and Secondly, Of the nature of the punish­ment,

First, Gods equity will be cleared from the nature of the place, which was,

First, A visible sign and token of Gods more immediate and gracious presence; for although God dwels not in Temples made with hands; that is, so as we dwell in our Houses to be comprehended in them, yet God is sayed to dwell there where he mani­fests himself; and therefore what was done before the Temple, was sayed to be done be­fore God; called therefore, The Throne of his Glory; Jer. 14. 21. The place of his rest; Psa. 132. 14. The place of his habitation; Psa 76. 2. His dwelling place: Now we know that affronts offered to the Kings Chayre of State although in his absence, are as much resented as when he is present.

Secondly, That House was the choisest, and chiefest instrument of Gods worship in the Jewish administration, they were to di­rect all their worship towards it: It was [Page 29] the King of Heavens Court of Requests, which he had appointed for the hearing their pray­ers, and granting their Petitions; and which had the priviledge of an universally gracious audience; In this place will I give peace, saith the Lord, c. 2. 9. Now because the honour done to any part of Gods service reflects on himself; as those that offered any polluted bread on Gods Altar are sayed to despise his name, therefore to punish this offence so grievously could be no over much severity.

Thirdly, That House was a type of Christ, it was a sacred Mystery representing their Messiah to them, who was the true Temple made without hands; as himself makes the application, John 2. 19. Destroy this Temple, and after three dayes I will raise it up; which S. John who was his beloved Disciple, and lay in his bosome, interprets as meant of his own body, Vers. 21. He spake of the Temple of his body; And this the Apostle asserts at large, in the ninth Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Jesus Christ was that true Temple in which the God-head dwelt bodily; that is, really, fully, [Page 30] substantially; by the neerest union, and most intimate conjuction as the soul dwels in the body; and so the neglect was the neglect of Christ himself.

Fourthly, That place was the spring-head of all their blessings; God had made that the staple of all his favours; Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name, I will come to thee and bless thee. From whence it is that in Scripture, Gods blessings are not said to be given from Heaven immediatly, but from Syon the place of Gods worship; There the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore, Psal. 133. 3. And the Lord that made Heaven and Earth, bless thee out of Syon, Psal. 134. 3. The Ocean of blessing is in Heaven, but the well-head is Syon, and so by neglecting Gods House they forsook their own mercy; so that the nature of the place acquits the Lord of Hosts from the impu­tation of over-rigorous proceeding, which likewise will appear,

Secondly, From the nature of the Judg­ment, if we shall consider those veins of mer­cy which run through it, which is the [Page 31] Second general part, and is included in the scope and designe of the words of my Text.

And this mercy is visible in four particu­lars.

First, In the Judgment it self.

Secondly, In the matter of that Judg­ment

Thirdly, In the measure of it.

Fourthly, In the discovery of the cause, and consequently the means of removing it.

First, It was mercy that they were pu­nished at all, correction being a signe of Gods paternal care; For every Son, whom he loveth, Heb. 12. 6, 7. he Chastneth; and Scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Immunity from Chastise­ment and Correction, is the Bastards, not the Childs prerogative. Gods forbearances are his most dreadful Severities; and a pros­perous iniquity is the most unprosperous condition in the world. It is cruelty, not mercy, to suffer men to go on in sin unpunish­ed, it being that which hardens men in sin, [Page 32] and consignes them over to ruine and repro­bation. It is a deplorable condition when God shall say; Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. Vis in­dignantis Dei terribilem vocem audire? will you here the terrible voice of a provoked God? Hear it saith Origen in that of Hos. 4. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit whoredome. Never was Jerusalem's case so des­perate as when God sayd to her; I will make my fury towards thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. Ezek. 16. 42. That's the first beame of mercy; that they are punish­ed.

A Second, is that their Punishment is in external temporal things, and not in inter­nal and Spiritual, which as they are most necessary, so the loss is most dangerous: Man may be happy without the one, he cannot be so without the other. The Lord of Hosts might instead of a famine of bread have sent a famine of the word of God, which is the Souls pro­per food, and without which it cannot live, [Page 33] which he threatens in another Prophet as the most dreadful Famine. Am. 8. 11. Behold the day is come, saith the Lord, that I will send a Famine in the Land, not a Famine for Bread, nor a thirst for Water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord. We never fear a dearth if we have Bread-Corne, though we want Apples and Plums. Let God deny us the worldly toyes of earthly enjoy­ments, if he continue his spiritual blessings, we cannot be esteemed miserable.

A third Island of mercy appearing in this Sea of misery, is the measure of it. They had a little, though not much; God did not take a­way all, but left them a pittance, as we say, enough to keep life and soul together. I will correct thee in measure, saith God to his people, and not leave thee altogether unpunished. Jer. 30. 11. If he should have been extreame to have marked what had been done amiss, he might have utterly destroyd them as he did Sodome and Gomorrha, and set them forth as perpetuall examples of divine vengeance, but it was of the Lords mercies that they were not consu­med, Lam. 3. 22. because his mercies fail not. There is [Page 34] yet a fourth ray of mercy shining in this judg­ment, and that is the discovery of the cause, which he doth not onely in respect of himself, for the vindication of his justice, but also in respect to them, that they might provide for deliverance. God by reason of that indepen­dent dominion, which he hath over all his creatures, which in their very being depend upon him, hath no obligation lying on him, to give any other reason of his acting, than his Sic volo, sic jubeo; and therefore it must be an act of great mercy, to come to debate and reason with his creature, to be content to bring himself as it were before mans tri­bunal, and to plead his cause, and make e­ven sinners his judges, yet so he doth frequent­ly; Come now, Esa. 1. 18. and let us reason together. And now, Esa. 5. 3. O Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge I pray you between me and my Vine­yard. Should he have made short worke with them, and dispatcht them in a moment, yet he would have continued just and holy, and he might have justified his proceedings; but to stoop so low as to give an account of his [Page 35] doings, and to render a reason of his sen­tence, is a condescention of mercy that can be never expressed, and never enough admired, or praised.

And thus having run through the two Stages of my Text, Judgment and Mercy; I cannot dismiss you without making you par­takers of some observations, which you may improve to your advantage, As,

First, That all the industry and labour of man in his calling, is in vain, if God with­hold his blessing; he may sow, and reap, and bring in too, he may export, nay import too, and little come of it, if God do but blow upon it. Not but that men may, nay must take paines in their vocations. Adam even in his innocency and integrity, before his fall, had his employment set out to him to dress and keep the Garden; much more since the fall, when all the Creatures are un­der the Curse for the sin of man; and the earth is so farre from yeelding fruit without our labour, that it is often fruitless, and bar­ren with it. So that now it is not so much [Page 36] our curse as our duty, that in the sweat of our brows we should eat our bread, and he that will not labour, as he doth not deserve, so he hath no promise that he shall eat: Labour then they must, but in that they must depend upon God for the success, whose blessing on­ly can make rich. Prov. 10. 22. Moses, saith, It is not bread that man liveth by only, but by the word of God, that is his blessing; and therefore, except the Lord build the House and watch the City, Psa. 127. 1, 2. mans labour and watching is to no purpose; It is but lost labour that ye rise early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of Carefulness if God doth not give sleep. Joyne then to your ho­nest labour, trust in God, and fear not a good success; you have King Davids warrant for it. Trust in the Lord and do good, and verily thou shalt be sed. Psa. 37. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 5. Let your la­bours as well as the Creatures for which you labour, be Sanctified by the word of God, and Prayer.

Secondly, The use or abuse, the care or neglect of the Instruments of Gods worship, is no indifferent thing, no matter of slight [Page 37] consequence it procures a blessing or brings down a curse. These Jewes neglect to build Gods House, and God neglects to provide for their Families. They no sooner go up to the Mountain and bring Wood, c. 2. 8. and begin to build, but from that very day, God begins to bless them. Take one instance more; The Arke, which before the building of the Tem­ple, was the dwelling place of Gods name, Psa. 74. 7. was among the Philistins, 1 Sam 5. who profanely in­sult, and triumph over it, and are smitten with sore diseases, and the hand of God is heavy upon them; c. 6. 19. Afterwards it comes to the Bethshemites, who are bold with it and pry in­to its secrets, 2. Sam. 9. 9. and fifty thousand of them are slain for it. After this Vzzah toucheth it ir­reverently, and is struck dead before it; whereas Obed-Edom entertains it reverently, and cheerfully, vers. 6. and is blessed in all that he hath. When God sends the instruments and means of Religion among a people, it con­cerns them deeply to look about them; God intends something towards them, either of judgment or mercy, and counts it an high [Page 38] indignity, if men think he will do neither good or evil. Zeph. 1. 12. The Prophet Isaiah compares Gods Word to Rain, Esa 55. 10. which returns not voyd, but accomplisheth what he pleaseth, and pro­spers in the thing whereunto he sends it; it either brings up wholsome Herbs, or noysom Weeds, it either furthers our Salvation, or hastens our Destruction. The Gospel of Christ is savour either of life unto life, 2. Cor. 2. 16. or of death unto death. Gods Ordinances are all of the same nature, with the Lords Supper, they are either for the better, 1. Cor. 11. 17. or for the worse. Christs coming to a Nation, Mat. 11. 23. as to Capernaum, is fatal, it either lifts neerer to Heaven, or throws lower into Hell.

Thirdly, The neglect of Gods worship for­feits all our temporal estate; as Tenants that refuse to do their homage, to perform Suit and Service, and to pay their Land-lords rent, do make their Estates lyable to a seizure. These outward blessings are the appurtenan­ces of Gods worship; And it is piety onely which hath the promises both of this life and that which is to come. These provisions are [Page 39] properly for Gods Household, and those that wait in the House of the Lord; If a pro­fane person that regards not Gods worship hath them, it is but at adventures, and they are so farre from beeing a blessing to him that they become a Snare, making him fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts, 1. Tim. 6. 9. which drowne men in destruction and perdition: search the Chronicles and Annals of the Kings of Isra­el, and you shall still find those times wherein Religion was advanced, as under David, So­lomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, to be prosperous times, whereas under Idolatrous Kings all things went contrary. So that the best way to secure what men have, is to em­ploy part of it in Gods service: Honour God with all thy encrease, and thy Estate shall be increased. Gods Storehouse is the best Assu­rance-Office; pay thy dues to that, and the rest will be secured to thee. As Samson's strength and glory lay in his Haire, so doth the honour and prosperity of your City de­pend on the true Religion, and sincere wor­ship of God, which if it be once deprived of, [Page 40] it may say with Phinees Wife Ichabod, 1 Sam. 4. 22. The glory of London is departed.

Fourthly, God expects that our first care should be for his service, that his glory and worship should have the precedency in our thoughts. These Jews upon their return home from Babylon, set up their own Houses, fell to husbandry, plowed and sowed their lands, they thought it not time to undertake so costly a work as building the Temple; and flesh and blood might have thought that delay ex­cusable if not reasonable, but God counts it matter of just exception, and sends them two Prophets to reprove them for it; what an ob­vious excuse had they? That that God who had dwelt so long of old in a Tabernacle, and was now worshipped at his new created Altar, would bear with them if they first built their own Houses, intending afterwards to build his with greater care and cost; but what saith God to them, Vers. 4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your Ceiled Houses (not covered only, but Ceiled with Cedar, as the Chaldee renders it, arched and garnished as the Greek) and [Page 41] my House to lye waste. The man after Gods own heart was of another mind, he would not come into his House, nor go up unto his bed, nor give sleep to his eyes, or slumber to his eye-lids, Psa. 132. 3. 5. until he had found out a place for the Lord,an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Noah's first care after he came out of the Arke, was, not to build an House for himselfe, but an Altar for Gods worship; he pleads not necessity of preserving store, nor stays till the creatures are multiplyed, but takes of every clean creature that came out of the Arke, and offers them to God. True Faith teacheth to prefer God before our selves; the World as it is inferiour in worth to Religion, so it must be in our repute and respects; Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, was the councel of our Saviour. God will crown such early piety with encrease of store, for all these things shall be added unto you: If the Widow make a little Cake for the Prophet first, 2 K [...]ngs. 17. 14. and bring it to him, her Barrel of Meal shall never wast, nor her Cruise of Oyl fail.

[Page 42] Thirdly, If the not repairing the House of God be so severely punished, what shall be­come of those that demolish his Houses: Pet. 4. 18. If the Innocent be scarcely saved, where shall the wicked and sinner appear? is S. Peter's way of arguing. If the labours and hopes of these Jewes, who onely suffered the Temple to lye in its ruines, come to little, certainly theirs shall come to nothing, or at least worse than nothing, eternal destruction, that are the in­struments of ruining it. If God shall destroy him that defileth the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 3 17. what shall he do to them that destroy it? If Ana­nias and Sapphira withholding that which was their own, were accounted Church-robbers, and punished with sudden death; what a se­vere revenger will God be against those that rob the Temple of that which hath been dedi­cated to it by others; Christ would not suffer Gods House, which was to be called an House of prayer to all Nations, to be made a den of thieves, by prophane usage of it, much less will he endure to have it destroyed after he hath reformed it; this is sacriledge, and that [Page 43] the Apostle ranks with Idolatry, as being full out as evil, if not worse than it; for what Idolatry but pollutes, sacriledge quite pulls down; and easier it is to new hallow a Tem­ple polluted, than to build a new one out of an heap of stones.

Once more, Sixthly, If the flood of Gods indignation ariseth so high against those that suffer the material Temple dedicated to his service to be waste, how shall it rage against them that do not repair his spiritual Temples, their own souls and bodies which have been consecrated to him in Baptism; for so saith the Apostle, Ye are the Temples of the living God, 2 Cor. 6. 16. as God hath sayd, I will dwell in them, and walk in them: And God takes more delight in these, than in the other. For, thus saith the high and lofty one, Esa. 57. 15. that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. And he refuseth all the services that are done him in his external Temple, as an abomination; if the spiritual Temple be defiled with sin and demolished by inquity. Sin not onely defiles [Page 44] but destroyes these Houses of God, let us therefore build them againe by our sincere Repentance and Reformation, let us cleanse them from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit: we cry, shame! to see a Church turned in­to a Barn, or Stable; to see a Christian all for the world is no better sight; Let us take heed that we do not make this House of God a Den of Theeves, a Brothel House for uncleaness, a Cage for unclean Birds, but let us adorne it with all the grace of Gods Spirit, for Holiness becometh the Lords House for ever. Especially since the ruines of this Spiritual House will draw with it the ruines of the Mate­rial, as God threatens the Jewes to do to their Temple, Jer. [...]. 12, 14 as he did unto Shiloh for the wick­edness of his people Israel.

And now to close up all. If any man shall think this concernes him not; because God sends no Prophets now to tell us that for such and such sins, God sends such and such Judgments. Let him know, that all these things that are recorded in the Prophets, happened unto them for examples, and are [Page 45] written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1 Cor. 10. 11. when therefore we may see a paralel of sins and punishments with those registred in sacred writ: we may without presumption conclude that those sins were the provoking cause of those Judgments. And here the Paralel is so visible, that he that runneth may read; and I make no question but your owne medi­tations have run Paralel with my discourse so that most of my labour that way is already saved.

For is it not the general complaint, and out-cry of this City, that there is an univer­sal decay of Trade? Do not the Merchants complain? we looke for much, and that upon good ground; for we have sent forth our Ships richly laden and ventured them on long and dangerous Voyages; but lce it comes to little, our Ships return not, or if they do, the income doth not answer the expence, our Commodities hardly yeeld what they cost. Doth not the Shop-keeper complain? we look for much, having taken Houses at great [Page 46] Prices and Furnished our shops with rich wares, but loe it comes to little, there are few Buyers, and but small gaines, we can scarce pay our rents. Doth not the Handicrafts man complain we look for much, for we labour hard and work good and sufficient wares; but loe it comes to little; The Shop-keeper will not buy but at his own rates; so that we have little more than our labour for our Paines. And that which adds to the unhappiness of all this is, that every one of these is apt to impute this Ca­lamity to any thing, rather than the right cause and so hinder themselves of the true remedy, because they will not understand the true cause of the distemper: Either a Forreigne Nations ingrossing Trade abroad, or the Ma­gistrates neglect of Trade at home must bear the blame; who is it that considers that Gods House lyes wast, while every man runs to his owne House? Gods House said I, nay Gods Houses, how many of them lie in their ruines, in their rubbish? for we must not fancy that God hath no Houses now, and that because that Temple at Jerusalem together with it's Cere­monial [Page 47] worship is abolished that God hath not adopted any other places, which he will own for his; for before the foundations of that Temple were laid, and since they have been razed, and one stone not left on another which was not thrown downe, God always had a place appropriated to his worship, and where he was pleased to afford a more gracious Presence than elsewhere. Even in Paradise, Adam had a place to present him­self before God. Which was called Gods Presence or Face. Gen. 3. 8. From which he hid himselfe, for from Gods general presence nothing can be hid, but all things are naked and open. And his Sons out of Paradise had their places where to bring their Sacri­fices, Gen. 4. 3. From which when Cain stood excommunicate for the Murther of his Brother Abel, he is said to be cast out from the presence of the Lord. Vers. 16. Abra­ham, besides Altars in several places, plan­ted a grove, Gen. 21. 23. To be a fixt place for Gods worship, for there he called on the name of the Lord. And so it is expoun­ded [Page 48] by one that was no great friend to our Churches. Ainsworth in l c. And afterwards when he is com­manded to offer his Son Isaac, the very Moun­tain is prescribed him, Gen. 21. 1. and Gods title to it ceased not with that one act, for there Solomons Temple was afterwards built, which God in my Text calls his House; nor did it then begin, if we may believe the general con­sent of the Jewish Rabbins, Maimony in misnoth l. 8. and in Treatise of the Temple, c. 2. s. 2. who assert that to be the place where Cain and Abel, nay Adam himself offered: When Jacob consecrated that place where he saw the Vision of the Ladder reaching to Heaven, Gen. 28. 18. he called it Beth-el, Gods House, the ground of which both consecration and name is rendred, Vers. 16, 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not, how dreadful is this place? This is none other, but the House of God, the gate of Hea­ven. So that Gods Houses began not with the Temple of Solomon, no nor that ambulatory Temple of Moses the Tabernacle, Psa. 66. 13. which is pe­culiarly by David called Gods House; nor while they were in being, did they ingross that ti­tle to themselves, for there were both in Jeru­salem [Page 49] and in other places of the Land no small number of Synagogues for the People to resort unto for their Devotions, which are cal­led Synagogues of God, Psa. 74. 8. Psa. 83. 12. and Houses of God, in the Plural Number: and these were Frequented by Christ and his Apostles as well as the Temple. And since the Destruction of that Temple, God was never destitute of Houses for his Worship. True it is that in the Pri­mitive times of Christianity, when they had not the Publick allowance and Countenance of authority, they could exercise their Religion only in Private, yet then they had places for the Saints to meet in for Divine Worship, such were the [...], the upper-roomes mentioned so frequently in the Acts of the Apostles, and distinguished by St. Paul from Private Houses. 1 Cor. 11. 22. Have ye not Houses to Eat and Drink, or despise ye the Church of God? understood by most Interpreters both ancient and modern of the publick place of Gods Worship; those perhaps not so sum­ptous and stately as afterwards, the Churches mean Condition and the worlds envy [Page 50] would not permit that, but such as their Po­verty would allow they had. But when it plea­sed God to raise up Kings and Emperours to favour sincerely the Christian Faith, Church­es were then erected in all places, and no cost spared, nothing thought to deere which that way was spent and these were called [...], the Lords from whence the Scots Kirke and our English Church doth proceed, and is the same title which is given to his day Rev 1. 10; And not improperly since we find the place and time of Gods Worship Joyned together by the Holy Ghost in Scripture, Lev. 19. 30. 8, 26. 2. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary; and then what the Son of Syrach saith of one may be applied to the other, and we may say why doth one place excel another? Ecclesasticus 33. 7. by the know­ledg of the Lord they are distinguished, and some of them he hath made high places and hallowed them, and some of them he hath made ordinary places. As the one is the Day of rest, and when we hallow it, it is called Gods rest, so the other when Consecrated to his name is called Gods rest, Psal. 132. 14. This is my rest for ever. And [Page 51] such were those Houses in this City, which are now wast, for they were Dedicated and Consecrated to Gods service, in them the Saints were assembled, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was Preached, The Lords Holy Name was Invo­cated, and the Sacraments of the new cove­nant duly administred, to all which Christ un­der the Gospel hath Promised a gracious pre­sence. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Mat. 18. 20. And to this promise he hath set to his seale by Converting to, and Confirming many a Soule in the doctrine of Jesus Christ from these places. Now, that these are wast, is as le­gible, as if writ in Text; but where to lay the blame is not perhaps so easily discovered. To impute it to the Magistracy of this City, this Honorable Bench would be no less then Scan­dalum Magnatum. Their Zeale in general is Sufficiently evidenced by this place wherein we are now Assembled; and in particular many of them either by actual contribution, or subscription, have testified abundantly their respects to these Houses: And of the Commo­nalty, [Page 52] I have reason to have as good an opini­on, if their abilities were consonant to their desires, when I consider their ancient zeal while the City was Flourishing to these Houses of God, how they opened their hands, and filled with Blessings many Churches both at home and abroad, both in their own and forreign Countries; yet even the best Saylers may be becalmed and want the gale of a Pro­phet to encourage them, to go up to the Moun­tain and bring wood, &c. Your hearts I am confident are good, it is but setting to your hands, and the worke will be done. Do but begin, and never feare the reproach of not having wherewithal to finish; Do but lay the first stone, and never distrust the provi­dence of that God who is the Alpha and Ome­ga, the Beginner and Finisher of every good worke. When Moses was about Building the Tabernacle, his charge was no more but this, every one that is of a willing heart, Exod. 35. 5. let him bring into the offering of the Lord, and they brought in so fast both men and women, that there was too much; and a proclamation was [Page 53] made in the Camp that they should bring in no more. When stuffe was to be provided for the Temple, 1. Cr [...]n. 29. 5. King David left it at large: Whoso is willing to consecrate his Service to the Lord. and both Kings, Princes and People offered abundantly and willingly, insomuch that he for himselfe and them giveth thanks to the Lord in this forme; Who am I, vers 14. and what is my People; that wee should offer so willingly? Do but lead the way, and I doubt not but God will stir up the hearts of others to follow; there is not a Soul, that feareth God but the Zeal of Gods House will eat it up, there will be many a true hearted Araunah who will offer not his land but his Timber for the House of the Lord; The Rich out of his abun­dance will give more, and the poore Widdow out of her Penury will give a mite. Even the labourer out of his hire, the servant out of his wages, and the souldiers out of their pay, will dedicate somthing, as the two Gene­rals of Saul and Davids armies did. 2. Chr. 26. 28. The Living will lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, [Page 54] that they may lay hold on Eternal life, and the dying, (I perswade my selfe) will not make a will, but Gods House shall have a Lega­cy in it. Even, the covetous usurer will out of compliance with the times, if not out of re­morse of conscience throw down some of his Silver with Judas into the Temple: Do but propose the meanes, and you have a great and gracious King, the Churches nursing Father, and faiths defender, who will promote the worke, and rather than it shall not go on, will with his Countryman Constantine the no less religious than Magnificent Emperour, be content to carry stones on his own shoulders towards it. You have a Loyal and Religious Parliament the Churches Nursing Mother; ready to enact whatsoever shall be propoun­ded to them for the advancement of so great and glorious a worke; nay do but set earnestly about it, and God himselfe will go before you to make the crooked places streight, and to break in pieces the Gates of Brass, Esa. 45. 2. and to cut in sunder the bars of Iron, that is, to remove all rubs and impediments, which [Page 55] would hinder the foundation of the Temple to be laid: and he also will lay the head-stone thereof with shouting, saying, Grace, Grace unto it. I cannot conclude better then with the exhortation of this Prophet. c 2. v. 4. Be now strong O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong O Josuah Son of Josedech the high Priest and be strong all ye People of the Land, saith the Lord, and worke for I am with you, saith the Lord of Host; With you by my helpe, and assistance; with you by my care and acceptance; with you by my reward, and recompence: c. 2. 7. for then will I fill these Houses with Glory, dwelling and having a delight in them, and in them will I give peace, v. 9. vers. 19. and in them will I furnish you with plenty too: and then happy would be the People that are in such a Case yea blessed will this City be, which hath this Lord of Hosts to be their God. Now to this Lord of Hosts, Fa­ther, Son and Holy Ghost, three Persons but one Infinite God, be ascribed in his holy Tem­ple all Praise Honour and Thanksgiving now and for ever, Amen.