THE Prophet Jeremiah, was al­ways a Man of very great Piety and Zeal for God, and very pas­sionately concern'd for the Good and Wellfare of his Country; the Calamities of which, he not only foretold, but liv'd also to bear a very great share in; and there­fore well may he be stiled, as he often is, the Weeping Prophet; since all the while he foresaw those Mi­series, his Mind must needs be very deeply affected with them, and in a sense suffer under them, be­fore any of the rest of his unbelieving Country-Men did: and the more too from their Wicked­ness and Infidelity, which was indeed the great Occasion of them: For as he was a good Man in the general, he knew the Justice of God would not suffer such a Wicked Nation to go long un­punished: and as he was a Prophet in particular, [Page 2]he was told both the time and manner when and how it should be done. Which though none of us now dare pretend unto, yet upon a just esti­mate of things, Mat. 24.12. when we see Wickedness abounding, and Atheism and Prophaness breaking in upon us like a mighty Torrent; when the love of many waxes cold, and that Zeal for God which ought to be in us all, is turned into an Artifice to promote the Interest of a Party; when Charity to Men, which ought to be universal, extends it self no farther than to those of our own way; nay, and vents it self in Malice and Revenge against all others, we may without any new Revelation, by the signs of the times, Mat. 16.3. that are already given us, easily understand what shall be the end of these things; and then it matters not which way the Justice of God brings it to pass, since we have so much Reason to fear he will certainly do it, let our Destrustion come from Rome or France, or what is worse, let it be bred out of the corrupt Humours of our own Bowels. Let it come from far, or let it spring up at home, it is all one when it is come; for whoever is the Instrument, God is the Author, let who will be the Executioner. God's Justice must first sign the Warrant for it, and that it will certainly do, where-ever Sin and Wickedness grows rampant and outragious. There's the same Law and Justice for England as for Judah, and if there be the same Sins, there [Page 3]will be the same Visitation, and the same Ven­geance. It is not, Shall I not visit for your Sins alone? but, Shall I not visit for these things where­over they are committed? He doth not say, Shall not my Soul be avenged on this, but on such a Nation as this? And if we now are so, it concerns us as much as them.

The Words in general, are a plain and full De­claration of the heavy Displeasure, and Just In­dignation of God against Judah and Jerusalem, for their notorious and abominable Sins and Wick­edness; and tho they are spoken by way of Que­stion, yet they do not in the least express any doubting of the Truth of the Thing, but rather the contrary; for it's a Rule in expounding Scrip­ture, that Affirmative Questions do very vehe­mently deny, and Negative Questions do strongly affirm, because they are in the nature of an Appeal about things that are supposed to be on all hands granted; as for Example, Job 8.3. Doth God pervert Judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert Justice? No, we know he neither doth, nor can. So again, Gen. 18.15. Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right? Yes, doubtless he will. So here in the Text, Shall he not visit and take Vengeance? Yes, certainly he shall and will, and there is none can hinder him.

But more particularly, in the Words there are two Parts.

[Page 4] 1st. An Account of God's Purpose and Reso­lution concerning the Nation and People of the Jews, to punish them severely for their many and great Sins: and the Expression implies an intention of great Severity indeed, not only to correct them with some sore Judgment, but e­ven to cut them off from being a People, Zeph. 1.18. To make an utter riddance of them; Shall I not visit, shall not my Soul be avenged? that is, I will do it with all my Might, and will delight in it too, whilst I thereby make my self amends for all the Trouble they have put me to. As he speaks also by the Prophet Isaiah in the like case; Isa. 1.24. Ah, I will ease me of mine Adversaries, and avenge me of mine Enemies.

2dly, The Reason or Cause of this implied in the Text, and more at large expressed in the Chapter to which the Words refer; Shall I not visit for these things, before mentioned, and be a­venged on such a People as are here described? In the farther Prosecution of which, I shall by God's Grace endeavour to shew: 1. How God is said to visit a Nation or People? 2. What those things are that he thus visits for. 3. What Reason we of this Nation have to fear and expect such a thing? And, 4. What we are to do in such a Case, and under such Circumstances as ours are?

[Page 5] I. How God is said to visit a Nation or Peo­ple? The word is in Scripture used in a three­fold sence.

1. It's sometimes an expression of kindness, and intends deliverance, as Gen. 50.24. God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this Land: So Luke 1.68. He hath visited and redeemed his People; in both which places the latter expression shews the meaning of the former. Psal. 106.4. Therefore the Psalmist prays that God would visit him with his Salvation. But this cannot be understood here, because the things referr'd to, deserve no such kindness. Besides, the next words of taking vengeance, sufficiently explain what kind of Vi­sitation is here intended, viz. of Justice, and not of Mercy.

2. The word signifies sometimes an Inquisi­tion into the state of Affairs by a judicial Pro­cess, as Exod. 3.16. I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done unto you; that is, I have en­quired into, examined, and consider'd your case: Job 31.14. When God visiteth, what shall I answer him? Not that God needs any such thing to inform him, for he knows all the wickedness in the World as soon as it is acted; but he speaks after the manner of Men, for the clearer mani­festation of his own Justice, and the greater terror to them: as it was in the case of Sodom, [Page 6]whose sins cried to Heaven; Gen. 18.21. yet says God, I will go down and see whether they have done altogether ac­cording to the cry which is come unto me: an expression rather of Justice than want of Intelligence.

3. The word also signifies the execution of Justice in the punishment of Sin; Numb. 16.29. If they be visited after the visitation of all Men; that is, if they be punished, or cut off, and de­stroyed in an ordinary manner. So Exod. 32.34. In the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them; that is, when I come to take vengeance, they shall smart for it: Thus he is said to visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children; that is, to punish them. And in either or both of these two last sences are these words to be understood, whereby they do assure us, both of the Justice and Severity of God, against all ungodliness whatsoever. For as he will not proceed hand over head, as we commonly speak, and rashly condemn any, without enquiry into, and full knowledg of the Case: So he will be as strict and severe in the taking Vengeance, and none shall divert or hinder him from it.

II. What are those things that he thus visits for? You see, according to the Prophet's man­ner of expressing himself, it is for Sin and Wick­edness; and by the coherence of these words with the rest of the Chapter, you will find of [Page 7]what kind and quality their Sins were; and in­deed they were of such a nature, that he neither could, nor would bear any longer with them; they are such as he hath always used to punish with the greatest Severity, especially too when the Guilt and Contagion of them hath been so deep and spreading, as theirs was at that time; as is plainly manifest throughout this Chapter; Nay, there is not any one of the Sins here mentioned, but is in it self so provoking in the sight of God, that it must needs be the occasion of very dread­ful Calamities; what then can we expect from such a complication of Wickedness as is here said to be met together in one, but utter Ruine and Destruction?

1. They are accused of a general failure and neglect in the Affairs of Justice and common Ho­nesty; few or none applying themselves to the practice of Righteousness, to deal faithfully and truly in the World. A Sin as great in its self as it was common amongst them; for the People of Jerusalem were generally so corrupt, that a Man might go to and fro, from Street to Street, yea, from House to House, for a long time and way together, and yet not light on any one Man, Ver. 1. that was sincerely righteous and truly religious. And surely then it was high time for God to arise, both for the Vindication of his own Truth and Justice, and for the Conviction and Punishment of the [Page 8]notorious Defects in theirs: for tho Almighty God may bear with wicked Men a long time; yet when the Floods of Ungodliness swell high, Psal. 18.4. and like a mighty Torrent bear down all before them, he must and he always doth then appear, and en­ter upon his Visitation; and therefore, we shall find this Temper one of the immediate fore-run­ners, as well as just occasions, of a general Ruine and Destruction. When the old World was drown'd, Gen. 6.11, 12, 13. it was because it was fill'd with Violence, all Flesh had corrupted its way upon the Earth; and when Sodom and Gomorrah fell, it was not so much for the greatness, as the generality of their Wickedness; for as bad as they were, yet if there had been but ten righteous Persons found there, Gen, 18.32. they might, for ought I see, have remained to this very Day. And so it was here with Judah and Jerusalem. Mat. 11.23. Nor was this the Fault of the poorer sort of People, but even of the greater, who, one would have thought, should have been better, as having greater Opportunities of knowing the Will of God, and more leisure to practise the same: But these (saith the Prophet) have altogether broken the Yoke, and burst the Bonds; Ver. 5. as if their Greatness served only to impower them to do the greater Mischief, and then to protect them against the Laws.

2. They are accused of Incorrigibleness under Judgments, Ver. 3. that tho they had been stricken, yet they had not grieved; yea, tho they had been consumed, yet, [Page 9]they refused to receive Correction. They had been greatly wasted, and yet would not take warning; they had been severely corrected, and yet were ne­ver the better or the more reformed; nay, they were grown the more obstinate and perverse, than which nothing can be more provoking unto God, there being in it that Obstinacy that gives the greatest malignity unto Sin, and those Aggra­vations that soonest fill up the measure of it.

3. They are accused of Adultery and Un­cleanness, a Sin as great as any, and as severely punished in all Ages, as being greatly dishonoura­ble unto God, and the occasion of great Confusion and Injustice amongst Men, and yet committed by them with the same Aggravations of Impu­dence, Frequency and Generality with the rest; yea, and with one more even amidst the abun­dance of outward Blessings to engage them to the contrary; For when he fed them to the full, they then assembled themselves by Troops in the Harlots Houses; whereby the Plenty he afforded them, to streng­then and enable them the better for his Service, served only to pamper their Lusts; as if like so many Stallions they were fed on purpose to be the more lustful, every one, saith he, Ver. 8. neighed after his Neighbours Wife; that is, not only lusted after her in his Heart, but was impatient to obtain his lustful Desire upon her.

[Page 10] 4. They are accused of a disbelief of God's Word by his Prophets and Ministers; The Pro­phets,Ver. 13.say they, shall become Wind, and the Word is not in them. They speak not from God, but fright us with bug-bear Tales of their own devising; the Evil they threaten shall befal themselves, and not us. A Sin so great in it self, that it's thought sufficient to be its own punishment; when wicked Men shut their eyes against the clearest Light, their Hearts have been hardened against the strongest Convictions; but that is not always the only punishment of it, but rather the forerunner of far greater Evils, and many times the means whereby those Evils are brought about: for when any Person, or People, laugh at God's Coun­sel,Prov. 1.25.and will take none of his Reproofs, he commonly gives them up to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.18. whereby their de­struction becomes the more great and certain: for he that being often reproved, hardeneth his Heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, Prov. 29.1.and that without Remedy: A Truth sadly fatal to the People of the Jews, a­gainst whom the Wrath of God arose for this very cause, as we are told 2 Chron. 36.16. till there was no Re­medy; and I pray God it prove not as sadly so to us.

5. They are accused of Apostacy from God and Religion; [...]ers. 7. They have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no Gods: An Offence of an heinous nature indeed, and such as God always very highly [Page 11]resents as most against his Honour, and one of the highest Acts of Treason against his Crown and Dignity; Exod. 20 5. Prov. 6.34, 35. upon which account he is often stiled A jealous God, a temper that's always attended with an implacable rage and fury; and therefore no wonder if the vengeance he intends to take, be exprest in a phrase that denotes the greatest resent­ment of a thing that can be, Shall not my Soul be avenged! an emphatical Speech indeed, and ex­presses the highest passion, and such as engages the whole power of God to make it good.

6. They are accused of Deceit and Guile, in Conspiracies and Plots of Mischief, to undermine and ruine each other. V. 26, 27. They lay wait as he that set­teth Snares; they set a Trap, they catch Men: as a Cage is full of Birds, so are their Houses full of deceit. A Charge very great and heinous indeed, in as much as this particular Sin hath something of ma­lignity in it more than the rest; for besides the e­vil aspect it hath upon Religion, it has a fatal influ­ence upon Society, and not like the rest occasions the ruin and destruction of the guilty only, but by an unusual barbarousness and inhumanity of the innocent too: and it hath oftentimes this In­gredient too, to make it the more heinous, in that by false Oaths and Perjuries (the most fatal Snares for Innocence) it converts Government into Op­pression, and Justice into Murder; for when the Formalities of it are by such cursed Acts wrested [Page 12]to the malice of such greedy Wolves; the Wid­dows and the Orphans are in the greatest danger, and the just upright Man the soonest made a prey; than which, as nothing can be more dishonourable to Righteousness and Truth; so nothing more destructive to the Professors of it, since what God appointed for their refuge, doth but tempt them into danger; and that which, like the Horns of the Altar, was appointed for a Sanctuary, is turned into a Golgotha. And since this was the case of the Jews at that time, what could they expect but a speedy Visitation, and the severities of a just and impartial Vengeance from God? Nay,

7. The Prophets and Ministers themselves are accused of falseness and partiality in the Ministry of the Word; Ver. 31. The Prophets prophesy falsly, a charge frequently brought against them, and urg'd as the occasion of most, if not of all the wickedness committed by that People, and by consequence, of all the Calamities they at any time groan'd un­der. Wicked Men are apt enough of themselves to commit Sin; but when they are encouraged in it by those that should disswade them from it, whither will they not run? nay, where will they stop? Ezek 13.10. If the Builders of God's Temple daub with untemper'd Mortar, no wonder if it quickly fall: Isa. 58.1. 2 Chron. 13. 12. if those, that should lift up their Voices like a Trumpet, and cry an Alarm to awaken Men out of [Page 13]the Lethargy of Sin and carnal Security, Ezek. 13.8. sow Pillows under all Armholes, and hush them to sleep with the still and smooth Voice of Peace, Peace, Jer. 6.14.when there is no Peace. What can be expected, but that they should remain so still, till they sleep in Death, and are only awaken'd by eternal Mise­ry? And this was indeed the lamentable case of this People, and no wonder if their Destruction was unavoidable, since the only means of pre­venting it proved so deceitful.

8. They are charg'd also with an universal love and liking of these things; Vers. 31. This People love to have it so. They were all, it seems, agreed, and consenting together in Wickedness, not only giving themselves up to the practice of it, but encouraging one another in it. Zeph. 1.12. And when once a People are thus setled on their Lees, and become Enemies to their own Mercies, no wonder if God search them with Candles, and visit their Ini­quity with a Rod, and their Sin with Scourges; and then we may well say to them, as the Prophet doth at the end of this Chapter (or rather black Bill of Indictment) drawn up against them, What will ye do in the end hereof? And this leads me Vers. 31. to the third Particular, which because it more nearly concerns us, I hasten unto, since it is to enquire, by way of comparison, between us and them.

[Page 14] III. What Reason we of this Nation have to fear such a Visitation? We are told by the Apo­stle, 1 Cor. 10.11. Whatever was written aforetime, was written for our Admonition. And the Judgments of God up­on wicked Men had a double design, to punish them, and to warn us; therefore they are said to be our Examples, Ver. 6.to the intent we should not lust as they did. Now upon any remarkable Dispensa­tion of God's Providence in that kind, it is natu­ral to us to inquire into the Cause; for we know that God is too righteous to punish without it, and too merciful to delight in it; and when once we understand the true and just Reason of his proceeding, we do as naturally reflect upon our selves; and if we find our Sins to be as great and as many as theirs, we cannot but expect that our Calamities should be so too. But then here's our Misery, we endeavour to stifle the Evidence of our own Consciences; we suffer these Impres­sions to wear off, Amos 6.3. and then, put far from us the Evil­day; but now that we may no longer do so, let us but a little consider our own Condition at pre­sent, that we may not be brought into theirs at last; and this we may do by inquiring into three Things. 1. Our Sins. 2. Our Obligations to amend. And, 3. The Calls and Warnings we have had.

First, Are not our Sins as great as theirs? nay rather, are they not more and greater? The Charge indeed runs high against them, but when it comes to be brought against us, I fear it will swell into a Flood. To compare it only with theirs is but to lessen it; let it have its full length and weight, and it will be very black and large in­deed. The Prophet, it's true, reckons up seve­ral, but I shall confine my self to three general Heads. 1. The Corruption of our Minds, as they are swerv'd from the Principles of Honesty and Truth. 2. The Corruption of our Morals, as our Manners are loose and wicked. 3. The Abuse of our Profession in matters of Religion, as we are either relapsing from the Stedfastness of it, or opening a Gap by our natural Divisions to let in our mortal Enemies to ruine and destroy both us and it.

1. How are our Minds corrupted, and we de­generated from the Principles of Honesty and Truth! What a great scarcity of honest and righ­teous Men is there? in whom can we confide? whom can we trust? Jer. 9.4. For every Brother will sup­plant, and every Neighbour will walk with Slanders; yea, even amongst those that say, Jer. 5.5. Psal. 28.5. They have known the Mind of the Lord, and seen the Operation of his Hands, what little Truth and Honesty is there to be found? Is not Interest and a Party made the measure of upright dealing? and the meaning [Page 16]of an honest Man, only one of our own way? and yet come to try or trust him, and he is no longer so, than it is for his own Advantage. Inte­rest is the God we too much worship; nay, such fond and zealous Votaries are we become, that we will prostitute our selves to things mean and sordid, and far below our Station; and ma­ny times offer up our best Friends, nay, our own Consciences; yea, God's Truth it self in Sacrifice to it; yea, so greatly are our Minds de­bauch'd by such false and destructive Principles, that we are not only led into Error, but even de­light in our own Wandrings; and when any Means are offered to inform and direct us better, we presently suspect, and nickname them, and use all the Art we can to render them fruitless and vain; and if once we can but lay them under an odious Character, we are proof against all their most wholesome Offers and Directions. But,

2. Are our Morals much better than our Prin­ciples? If our Lives be but look'd into, our Sins, I fear, will be reaching unto the Clouds, and spreading themselves to every corner of the Land, not a Place nor Person that is free. To descend to Particulars is not within the compass of my Time or Intention at present, but it may and ought to be within yours: It is not for me here to point and say, Thou art the Man, but I [Page 17]think it becomes every one of us to lay his hand upon his Heart, and to cry, I am he. Perhaps we may not, nay, we cannot all of us be guilty of the same Sins; our Conditions, our Constitutions, our Relations, our Ages, our Ranks and Qualities in the World are different; and there are particular Sins, incident to every one of these, which possibly others may neither have Opportuinty, nor be in a Capacity to com­mit: But then there are others that are more ge­neral, which we may all of us run into, and which hardly any Rank or Condition can exempt us from; and these are Vices too commonly known and practised amongst us; nay, I wish there were not too much cause to say, counte­nanced, justified and gloried in. How fre­quently do Oaths and Curses vent themselves, not only in our passionate, but in our most sober and deliberate Discourses, as if we thought them the chiefest Ornaments of Speech! How is Drun­kenness and Excess not only practised, but, by its frequency, made light of; nay, by many little Arts and Devices, which otherwise might be innocent enough, encouraged and promoted! Good Hospitality, cheerful Entertainments, kind and grateful remembrances of Friends and Benefactors, may be useful and necessary some­times; but when I must be forc'd to drink up to another Man's measure or humour, and as [Page 18]often as he thinks fit to begin a Health, must be obliged to pledg it both in kind and quantity; This makes our Table to become our Snare, this turns innocent Mirth into Madness, a Love-Feast, as indeed all Feasts should be, into an heathenish Revelling, and a commendable Ho­spitality into Beastliness and Sensuality. And then follows commonly another Sin, which is now become the Reproach and Scandal of our Age and Nation too, Ver. 8. as if we would to a tittle make good the Prophet's Charge in this Chapter. Our full feeding makes us lustful and unclean; nay, as if we would go beyond it, we not only assem­ble by Troops in the Harlots Houses, but we even take them into our own, and maintain them with more Delicacy and Tenderness, than is commonly afforded to a lawful Wife; yea, with greater Extravagance and Expence than a nume­rous Family requires and needs. You know that what I say is too true; for to our shame be it spoken, These things are not done in a Corner; Acts 26.26. for these Vices do not only follow the Courts of Princes, and fly into the Country, but creep into the City too; God grant they never step up upon the Bench! Besides which, what notorious Prophanation of God's Day is upon every happy return of it to be seen, whilst by some it is neglected, and one half of it slept away, and the other half as idlely spent, either abroad in the Fields, if the Weather [Page 19]invite, or the pretence of going to hear some fam'd Preacher two or three Miles out of Town, excuse the itch of Curiosity and a rambling Hu­mour, or else in a Tavern or in an Ale-house, where God's Name and Day are by a cursed Epitome both prophaned and abused together, and his Worship too often entrenched upon: for those Places are not only frequented when the Doors of God's House are shut, and his publick Service ended, but even when they are open, and every good Christian should be engaged therein. Had we no Laws to prevent and restrain these things, they would only be Personal Sins; but since we have, and those wholsome and strong enough, the not putting them in Execution, will I fear, make them all become National. Be but then so faithful to your selves as to consider what will be the end of these Things, whether God will not visit and take Vengeance upon us, as well as upon others in the like Case, and what we shall do then when he doth so? But,

3. From our Principles and Practices let us proceed to our Profession and Behaviour in matters of Religion, and I am afraid our Hypo­crisie, Unbelief, and Apostacy, will be found as great as theirs, if not greater, by how much the Religion we profess is more refin'd and clear, than theirs was. How infinitely we are beholden to Almighty God for the Purity and Simplicity [Page 20]of his Gospel, I need not tell you; I wish it did not as fully discover the greatness of our Abuse and Neglect of it! We have, it's true, enjoyed it for many Years, and that not as it hath been mixed with the Trash of the Church of Rome, but as it hath been rescued from their sacrilegious Hands, and restored to its native Plainness and Simplicity; but alas, like the Children of Israel, when delivered out of Egypt, we are returning back thither again, and think the Onions and Garlick of their Superstitious Fopperies better than the Milk and Honey of the best Reformati­on that ever was. What Arts have been used to introduce Popery? and what a ready and cheer­ful Compliance have they met with by too too many of us? So that we seem ready to aposta­tize from that Truth, which Christ and his Apo­stles left us, and which by the Blood of so many Martyrs of our own Nation hath been sealed and confirmed to us. How many are there that are making Friends of the unrighteous Mammon, Luk. 19.9. and securing to themselves an Interest amongst those, whom by the Laws of God and Man they ought to avoid, thereby betraying themselves into those Snares they pretend to fear, and which nothing but such a cowardly and sordid Compliance can force them into. Blessed be God, we have the Government on our side yet, the Laws are both our Warrant and Defence, besides which the [Page 21]Reason of our own Minds convinceth us, and the true Interest of our Country calls upon us to be valiant for the Truth, Jer. 9.3. Cap. 5.7. and therefore if we fall back and forsake it, and swear by them that are no Gods, as in Popery we must, our Guilt will be almost, Ver. 7. if not altogether, unpardonable, How shall I pardon thee for this, saith God by the Prophet: Heb. 6.9. But I hope better things of you, and things that accompany Salva­tion, tho I thus speak, and that you will never wit­tingly do any thing that may be the occasion of so great Mischief to your selves and Country. But there is one thing, which if not speedily preven­ted, will before we are aware, let in that which we so much fear and cry out against, and which perhaps too too many of us more or less may be accessary to, I mean those unnatural Heats and Divisions amongst our selves, amidst which, tho we are not altogether swerv'd from the Form, 2 Tim. 3.5. yet we are strangely degenerated from the true Spirit and Power of Godliness and Christianity, Jam. 3.17. which is indeed a most pernicious sort of Apostacy; for a false Religion, that's good natured and kind, gentle and easy to be intreated, is better than the Profession of the truest Religion in the World, that's accom­panied with Heart burnings and Animosities, and immoderately heated by unchristian Strifes and Debates; and that this is our Case at this Day is evident enough; but how fatal the Effects and Consequence thereof will be, I am afraid to think [Page 22]of. God of his Mercy divert the Omen, and unite us more firmly to himself, and to one ano­ther; for whilst there is envying, strife, and di­visions amongst us, 1 Cor. 3.3. we are not only carnal, and walk as Men; but whilst we foment and encou­rage these things, James 3.15, 16. we become earthly, sensual, yea, devilish; and then we must needs introduce Confu­sion, and every evil Work: that which we fear will come upon us, yea, we shall bring it upon our selves; Jer. 5.31 and then it will be too late to enquire what we shall do in the end thereof. But,

Secondly, Since our Sins are so many and great, let us, in imitation of the Prophets faithfulness in the Case, enquire into the Obligations that have been laid upon us to reform and amend. He ag­gravates their Sins with this Circumstance, that they were acted by them, when God gave them Rain, Vers. 24.both the former and latter in its Season, and reserved to them the appointed Weeks of the Harvest: Vers. 7. yea, when he fed them to the full, that is, bestowed upon them the greatest abundance of all outward Blessings. And if upon an impartial inquiry in­to the thing, it be found that Almighty God has been in all respects as bountiful unto us, we may as reasonably expect that he should call us to an account for the abuse of his Mercies, as well as for the breach of his Laws: yea, and more too, because these are a kind Obligation added to the Authority of the other; and there's nothing [Page 23]whets and sharpens the Sword of Justice more, than Ingratitude; it gives indeed a double edge to it, the one from the Power that is so justly in­censed, and the other from the Kindness that is so grosly abused. Well then, to consider the Case before us, What variety of signal Mercies have we been blest with for a long time toge­ther? What miraculous and repeated Deliveran­ces have we had? What Attempts have been made upon our Peace and Tranquillity, and how often have they been frustrated and disappoin­ted? and may they for ever be so. How often have our Lives and Liberties been struck at and assaulted? and yet they have been as often res­cued and preserv'd; and may they be so still. What desperate Attempts have been made to de­stroy both our Religion and Government, and how graciously have they been protected and de­fended, and all this almost by Miracle; Exod. 14. 13. for we have, as it were, only stood still and seen the Sal­vation of God. Upon the amazing Methods of which, as we have reason to look back with won­der and delight, so we have reason also to reflect upon our own Ingratitude with horror and a­mazement; especially too, if we consider that to all the publick Mercies which we have such a comfortable share in, there's not a Man of us but has many particular Blessings besides, that [Page 24]deserve as great a measure of acknowledgment as the rest. And when all these shall be summed up together, (and, O God, how great is the sum of them!) Ps. 139.17. and we call'd to an account for the im­provement, wherewithal shall we appear! what shall we answer! good God! what will become of us! But,

Thirdly, That which aggravated their Sin to the height, was the many Warnings and Calls they had to reform and amend; and yet, said he, they have belied the Lord, V. 12, 13.and said, It is not he; nei­ther shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see the Sword or Famine: nay, the Prophets themselves shall become Wind, and the Word is not in them. And this I am afraid will fill up the measure of our sins too: for he hath often called us, and we have refused to hearken; he hath given us many fair Warnings, but we have hardened our hearts a­gainst them; he hath shaken his Rod over us, yea, and sometimes let us feel the smart of it, but we have refused to receive Correction; Jer. 5.3. we have deafned our Ears to the louder and more dreadful Voicé of his Judgments, and hardned our Hearts against the still and smooth Voice of his Word. He hath sometimes come in flaming Fire, 2 Thess. 1.8.taking vengeance; and if, during the heat of its devouring Fury, we have been a little warm in our Devotions, and something melted into Repentance; yet as that [Page 25]hath abated, we have cool'd and return'd, not only to our former, but have even contracted a far greater degree of hardness. Sometimes he hath enlarged the Commission of his destroying Angel, and made the Pestilence, Psal. 91.6.that walks in dark­ness, to waste at noon-day: And if amidst dying Groans, and infectious Fears, we have been made to relent; when they have been removed, so have our Relentings too, and a greater Plague behind, even that of Sin, and hardness of Heart. Sometimes he hath unsheathed the bloody Sword of War, and if amidst the merciless and inhu­mane slaughters it has made, we have been for­ced to sue for Peace, how have we abused it when we have had it, yea, even been weary of it too, whilst we have broke out into as unnatural, tho' not altogether so bloody a War against one ano­ther? Blessed be God, our Swords are not yet drawn, but our Tongues and our Pens are, and with these we cut like a sharp Razor; and in­stead of uniting in our praises to God for our Ci­vil Peace and Plenty, we are distracting our own Devotions, yea, and provoking, (I had almost said devouring) one another, whilst our Adver­saries, in the day they look for, (which God grant may never come) will make no difference, but swallow us up together, and laugh at us too, to see how dextrously we do their Work for them [Page 26]our selves. But this is not all; for these and many others of the like nature have been back'd and enforc'd upon us, by many seasonable and pious Discourses. The Ministers of the Gospel have applyed themselves to the Times, Places, and Persons they have liv'd in, and been sent unto; and yet I am afraid, instead of hearkening and inclining the Ear, we have too too many of us hardened our Hearts, Jer. 7.26 and done worse than our Fa­thers: and if so, what can we expect, but that he should deal worse by us than ever he hath done yet? for that's always the method of his pro­ceedings. When he varies the method of his Pro­vidence, and finds that neither Kindness nor Se­verity will work upon us, but that we easily break all the Cords of his Love, Hos. 11.4. and rust under the very File, his Patience is soon turned into Fury, his Pity into an implacable Revenge; his Mercy adds both speed and weight unto his Justice, and transforms a most compassionate Father into a consuming Fire; for God will certainly visit for these things, where-ever they are, his Soul will be avenged on such a Nation, let its outward condi­tion be what it will: And this leads me to the fourth and last Particular, which is to en­quire,

[Page 27] IV. What we are to do in such a Case, and under such Circumstances as ours are. That we have bin notoriously guilty of the Breach of God's Laws, notwithstanding all that he hath done to keep us within the bounds of our Duty and Obe­dience, cannot be denied; that we are therefore in very great danger of being very severely hand­led, if not utterly destroyed, is apparently evident to all, that are not obstinately resolv'd to run all hazards, rather than take up and amend. It's but natural and reasonable then for us to enquire what we are to do to prevent our own Ruine, and no longer cry out only, and complain of the dange­rous Times we live in; but to be very speedy in our Resolutions what to do to make them better. And here I suppose every one will be ready to tell you what's to be done. Some cry, Open and enlarge the Church-doors, and let in the Dissenters, and then all will be well; others cry, Shut them out, or we shall never be at Peace. Some cry, Away with Impositions and Ceremonies, the Re­liques of Popery and Earnest of its Return: O­thers complain of Schism and Separation, Facti­on and Sedition, that the Dissenters do the Je­suits Work; and you may as well tollerate the one, as connive at the other. Some found our Peace and our Plenty in a general Toleration; [Page 28]others tell you, It's the next way to Ruine and Confusion, and all this while few or none will take any Advice but their own; so that amidst the several Prescriptions, we are ready to perish, and that not because we want Help, but rather be­cause we have too much, our Danger not being so much from our Disease, as the Multitude and Disagreement of our Physitians; for whilst they are disputing what's fittest for us to take, our Distemper grows upon us, and before we can agree, we languish and die. For my part I shall not presume to interpose this way, but shall leave all things of this nature to my Superiours, to whom they properly belong, resolving to be obedient in all things, as far as a good Consci­ence will give me Leave, and where it will not, to endeavour with as much Cheerfulness as I can to suffer and submit; and I think it would be never the worse for us, if we would all of us do so too. Besides which, I have only two or three things to add farther by way of Exhorta­tion, and shall then conclude.

1. The first is, That we endeavour to make our Peace with God as speedily as we can, by an unfeigned Repentance and thorough Refor­mation. Our Comfort is, that we have a God to deal with us, that is as ready to receive us, as [Page 29]we can be to return unto him; and desires to be at Peace with us, as much as we can do, that get most by it. Now since it is not the distance of his Heighth and Greatness, nor the Severity and Rigour of his Nature, Isa. 59.2. but our Iniquities that have separated between us and our God: Dan. 4.27. The speedy breaking off of them will be the most effectual way to procure a lengthening of our Tranquillity; and indeed it cannot reasonably be expected any other way; Job 9.4. For who ever hardned himself against God, and prospered? We may be let alone for a time; but to think that shall always be so, is as absurd and foolish a Conclusion as can be; for the longer we have been spared, the less time is behind. The more we have been suffered to multiply our Sins, the sooner will the measure of them be filled up. The longer God's Hand has been with-held, the higher it has been lifted up, and the Heavier it will fall at last. For God's sake then, and your own, for your Country's and Religions sake; yea, for the sake of all that's near and dear to you, that you may no more see Beauty turned into Ashes, Isa. 61.3. Rev. 6.9.and Death riding triumphantly upon his Pale Horse through all your Streets, and the Sword devouring any more Flesh; That you may not be punished seven times more, Levit. 26.18. and worse than you have been, think of these things, and think often and seriously of them too, and suffer [Page 30]not the Impressions that such Reflections com­monly make, to wear off again without doing their desired and necessary Work. Let not your Repentance be only a crying out of the Sins of others, which is rather a venting the Spleen, than a true humbling of the Soul: Nor let it be exercised upon your selves upon some solemn Occasions only, and whilst you are under the Strength and Power of a present Conviction, which is indeed for the most part but like throw­ing a little Water upon the Fire, which though it may damp it a little for the present; yet afterwards it makes it burn the fiercer, but let it be seen in a constant and regular Disposition of Mind, fortified with firm Resolutions to re­turn no more unto Folly, and in a constant endea­vour to keep all the Commandments o God without Partiality, Jam. 3.17. Mat. 12.43, 44, 45.and without Hypocrisy; for else we shall but sweep and garnish the House for seven worse Spirits, that will not be so easily cast out, 2. Pet. 2.20. but will make our latter End worse than our Be­ginning.

2. Be exhorted to maintain and promote Peace and Concord amongst all Men. Next to Peace with God, without which all other securi­ty will prove deceitful, Unity amongst our selves is certainly the most effectual thing to the making [Page 31]of us an happy People; and till that be attain'd, we may possibly be quiet, but we shall never be safe. We are continually liable to the malice of our Enemies, and nothing exposes us, and en­courageth them more, than our unnatural Divi­sions amongst our selves; by these they grow upon us daily; and indeed, their greatest Strata­gem is, to foment and encrease them, as well knowing it in vain to make any other Assaults upon us. Should they invade us with their whole Power and Strength, we might then possibly u­nite, and, under God, be certainly too hard for them: This they know, and fear, and therefore dare not attempt us openly, but hope for an easy Victory, when, like Gideon, Judg. 7.22.they see every Man's Sword against his fellow. And shall we now give them such an Opportunity? God for­bid! and yet I fear we are in a very fair way to it, and there's nothing certainly can prevent it, Rom. 12.18. but by doing what in us lies, to live peaceably with all Men; and this I am perswaded that all of you know and believe. But then, here's our misfor­tune; though we all of us cry aloud for Peace, yet as long as we expect it only in our own way, we are never like to have it. It's next to an im­possibility, that all the World should in every thing be of one and the same mind; but yet for all that, there's no necessity that we should [Page 32]wrangle and fall out, as alas we too frequently do; and yet when we have what we desire, it's many times not worth the Busle we make to ob­tain it. Most of the Disputes that are raised a­mongst us, have more of Heat and Passion, In­terest and Pride, than weight of Reason in them: Nay, the greatest Matters in Controversie, do neither need nor require that fierceness and heat with which they are too often managed; nay, I fear, they are greatly worsted by it. The great­est Matters in the Debate between us and the Dissenters, are in the general owned on both sides. We very truly, and upon good ground, urge the necessity of Obedience to lawful Autho­rity; nor do they deny the truth of it, they only plead an Exemption for Conscience-sake, when any thing unlawful is required; and this we can­not deny neither; only here's the Question, Whe­ther these things are unlawful or no? And cannot this now be argued without all this eagerness and heat? Cannot we dispute, but we must be ready to devour? Must our Disputes, which are the best sort of Christians, make us cease to be Men? and by contending for the Church, hazard the ruine of the State. Certainly this temper does very ill become the Name of a Christian, and does by no means answer the great Ends and Purposes of the Gospel. Men's Minds are not [Page 33]to be convinced by hard Names, and ill Lan­guage, but by Truth and Right Reason, and that too urg'd with good Nature and Love; for even Truth it self is recommended to us under the greatest disadvantage that can be, when it's accompanied with fierceness and passion; such an everlasting Truth is St. James's Assertion, Jam. 1.20. That the Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God.

Now if the Government think fit to require such things of us, and we all profess it our duty to yield an active Obedience, as far as with a good Conscience vve can, and vvhere vve can­not, to submit, but by no means to resist; vvhat hinders us but that we may do this without flying at one anothers Throats, to the disturbance of the Government, to the scandal of Christianity, and to our own certain Ruin and Confusion? It is not for private Christians (and of such only I am speaking) to manage themselves after this sort, but rather, as the Elect of God, to put on bowels of Mercy, Kindness, humbleness of Mind, Col. 3.12, 13.Meekness, Long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake shall forgive us; for without this temper we shall never be secure and safe. Let us then at length return unto a better Mind, and in all things act according to the Duty of our Places, and espe­cially [Page 34]in this; seeing when we have wrangled and vex'd one another as long as we can, we can neither make new Laws, nor alter the Old; our Duty and Business therefore is, to submit peace­ably to them we have, and to make our con­dition under them, as easy and as comfortable as we can, till God shall find out a way to mend it. And in the mean time,

3. Lastly, Pro. 8.15. Let us pray unto that God, by whom Kings Reign, and Princes decree Justice, to in­spire the Heart of the King with true heavenly Wisdom; and to guide and direct all others, that are or shall be called to Publick Actions and Counsels, and are thereby any ways concern'd in the administration of Justice, and making of Laws, that some effectual Means may be found, in a Legal and Christian way, to compose our Differences, and heal our Breaches: And that he would also, in the mean time, allay those Un­natural and Unchristian Distempers of our Minds, and dispose us to a more sober and up­right walking before him; to a ready and true Christian submission to the Government we live under, and are so happy in the constitutions of; and to an universal and unfeigned Love and Cha­rity to one another; that so when God shall come to visit us, as certainly he will, it may be [Page 35]a Visitation of Mercy and Kindness, and not of Fury and Indignation; that his whole Heart, Jer. 32.42.and his whole Soul, may rejoice over us to do us good; and not to be provoked to execute Vengeance upon us.

Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, for the sake, and in and through the Merits of the ever blessed Jesus; To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed, as is most due, all Honour, Glory, and Praise. Amen.