THE Word concerning his Promise, refers to that which went before in the fourth Verse of this Chapter: where it is plain that the Apostle speaks of Christ's Promise of his coming to Judgment: that is indeed a Promise to his Elect, but is rather a Threatning to others; and therefore I shall rather call it a Prediction, which is a Word between both.

By Christ's Promise or Prediction, I suppose he means that in Matthew 24. where our Saviour fore­tells in one and the same Prophecy, both his com­ing to destroy Jerusalem, and his coming to judge the World.

It is the delay of this last coming of Christ, against which the Apostle foresaw that there would be an Objection, by Scoffers in the latter days. I shall not consider all the Answer that he gave them, nor any more than what lies before us in my Text; nor even that, with relation only to the Day of Judgment, but as it extends to all the Judg­ments [Page 2] of God; especially those that end in De­struction, as the Day of Judgment doth. Of this, and all other such Judgments, saith the Apostle, For the Lord is not slack concerning his Promise, (as some men count slackness) but is long-suffering to us­ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance.

In my Discourse upon these Words, I shall pro­ceed by these Steps and Degrees.

First, I take it for granted on all Hands, That God is generally very slow in inflicting his Judg­ments. It is that which the Scoffers object; it is granted by the Apostle in his Answer: They agree in the Thing, they differ concerning the Reason of it.

Therefore, Secondly, for the Reason, as these Scoffers would persuade themselves, it proceeds from God's slackness in his Government. But this the Apostle denies, that there can be any such thing in God. What then should be the Cause of God's delaying his Judgments? This is that which we are chiefly to consider.

The true Cause (saith the Apostle) is, the Long-suffering of God: Of which, among many Rea­sons that might be given, he gives this for a Prin­cipal; it is from his Infinite Goodness. It is his willingness by this means to save those whom a quicker way of Proceeding would destroy.

[Page 3] For the use of all this, I am to shew;

First, How much we are wanting to our selves, if we are not ready to comply with his Goodness, if we are not willing to be saved, as well as God is willing to save us.

Secondly, I shall shew how much it concerns us to take that which is the only way to be saved, that is, by a speedy and effectual Repentance.

Lastly, For our Encouragement, I shall shew what Assurance we have, not only of Deliverance, but of further Favours upon our Repentance, from that God who so earnestly desires it, that he seems to expose his own Glory, he suffers wicked Men to call his Truth and Justice in question, rather than not give time, and not use the utmost Means to save them from perishing in their Sins.

In the Design here proposed, I am to begin with that which is granted on all hands; That God is generally very slow in inflicting his Punishments upon Sinners. I do not say, he is always so; for sometimes, nay oftentimes God doth otherwise, he takes Sinners in the Fact, and doth Execution upon the Place.

I need not mind you of the dreadful Examples in Scripture, of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, of Ana­nias and Sapphira, and the like. We have oftentimes the Terror of such Examples before our Eyes. To see one killed in a drunken Quarrel, or in attempt­ing [Page 4] a Robbery, or in ranging to satisfie his Lust; to see a Sinner cut off in the first Act, or the first discover'd Act of his Sin: when this happens to any one, tho' we are silent as to his Eternal Estate, yet we cannot but say, there is a visible Judgment of God, by which such a one is taken away, sud­denly, as by a whirlwind, in his wrath.

And yet we cannot say, that he is a greater Sin­ner, than they are who have their Lives prolong'd in their Wickedness: Nay, of the two, perhaps there is cause to fear their Condition much more than the other. For thus much the Apostle seems to imply, when he admits there is that that looks like slackness in Judgment: for there could be no such Pretence, if the most or greatest Sinners were judged, and especially if they were judged early in this Life. The Apostle rather seems to admit of the contra­ry; and it sufficiently appears, by many Instances, that the greatest Sinners have had a long time given them before they have been called to account for their Sins against God.

If any would see this proved by Examples, let him think of the worst Men mentioned in Scrip­ture; he shall see how slow God hath been in bringing them to due Punishment.

Of Heathen Princes, there is none that hath a worse Character upon him, than Pharaoh, a Mon­ster of Pride and Cruelty, and Contempt of God; [Page 5] which brought down upon him all the Plagues of Aegypt, so famous in History. By the last of those Judgments he perisht: but then it was long first; for all those Plagues came upon him in one Year; and it was in the Sixteenth Year of his Reign, saith Eusebius from Manetho the Aegyptian.

Among the Jewish Kings, the worst should be wicked Ahab; for of him the Scripture saith, There was none like him, that had sold himself to work wic­kedness; and yet Ahab reigned above Two and twenty Years, before the Dogs had the licking of his Blood.

In the New Testament, the worst Great Men we read of were, that Herod that would have killed Christ in his Infancy, and Pilate by whom he was crucified: But of them, Herod came to his end (which indeed was very horrible, as Josephus de­scribes it) not till the Four and thirtieth Year of his Reign. And Pilate the Roman Governor, whom the same Josephus describes as a Man made up of Ava­rice and Cruelty, yet continued in his Government, and seem'd to enjoy himself in those Sins, for some Years after the Crucifying of our Saviour.

This forbearance of Persons, even the worst that ever liv'd, is not so strange, or would be less strange to us, if we consider'd, that Men have another Life; and if they should go quite unpunisht here, as many do all their Lives, God knows where to [Page 6] find them at last: and then he can and will do them Justice; they shall pay both Principal and Interest together, in their Sufferings in the future Life.

But for Nations, they have no other Life but this: Their Sins must be punisht here, or not at all. And therefore it may seem a little strange that they should have any forbearance: and yet so it is, that God is not in haste even with Them.

For Examples, I might, if I had time, name all the Nations that are recorded in History. But that doth not need, since we have one Nation which God hath set up for an Example to all the rest. The Jewish Nation. In that one, I might shew many Instances of this Doctrine: But these Three are more remarkable than the rest.

First, When God had sworn in the Wilderness, That he would cut off all the Men of that Genera­tion, yet he did it not presently: he gave them a time of Forty Years, and so long many of them lived before they came to perish in the Wilderness.

Afterwards, when they were threatned with the Babylonian Captivity, which was in the beginning of Jeremiah's Prophecy, in the Thirteenth Year of King Josias; yet after that, it was Forty Years be­fore they were carried into Captivity.

Lastly, When John Baptist preached Repentance, and warned them to fly from the wrath to come, and [Page 7] told them, now the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree, now they were to stand or fall by their dealing with Christ at his coming. If they should reject him, it was determined that God would destroy their Church, and scatter their Nation. They did com­mit that great Sin, and yet it was again Forty years before the Sentence was put in execution.

These are sufficient Proofs to shew that God is not in haste to execute his Judgment upon Nati­ons. But to go higher yet, we see the same in his Proceedings against the World of Mankind. We see in the Old World before the Flood, when all flesh had corrupted its way, when they were fully ripe for destruction; yet then the destruction came not till after an hundred and twenty years warn­ing, which (being to all Mankind) was as much as those three warnings of the Jews put together. So slow is God to execute Judgment upon Sinners, especially such Judgments as are to end in their utter destruction.

So that now the matter of Fact being clear, we are to find a Reason for it: And here are two Rea­sons in my Text; here is the Scoffers Reason, that says it is slackness in God; here is the Apostles Reason, that says No, 'tis indeed his Patience and Long-suffering.

The First is the Scoffers Reason, that which some would perswade themselves to believe; they [Page 8] say Judgment is delayed, because God is slack in punishing of Sinners; this the Apostle denies, as a reason most unworthy of God.

For, that is properly Slackness, when Offenders are not punish'd so much, or not so soon, as would be necessary for the Ends of Government. What are those? to keep up Order, and Purity, and Peace, by the Exemplary punishing of Trans­gressors. These are the great Ends for which Judgment is design'd; and to make delay of Judgment, so as to defeat these ends, or any of them, this is truly a slackness in Government.

Now such a slackness as this cannot be thought to be in God. For this slackness must proceed from some defect or other; either want of Know­ledg, or of Will, or of Power to do Justice. Such defects as these we may suppose to be in Man. But every one of these is either a fault, or an Im­perfection; and that is enough to remove them from God, there can be no fault nor no Imper­fection in him.

How then shall we solve the difficulty that ap­pears to us in the Text? For that God doth things as if he were slack, 'tis plain, and the Apostle con­fesseth it: and yet the Lord is not slack, saith the A­postle: how then? he is Long-suffering: I, that's a Reason worthy of God; we should have guess'd at it if he had not told us, for it is most agreeable to the nature of God.

[Page 9] He is such a great and generous Being, as having all things in his power, can do his own Work when he pleases: and he knoweth it, and therefore he will take his own time to do Judgment.

He will do things never the sooner, nor later, whatever we think of it, for any provocation what­soever. Nay, properly speaking, to provoke him is impossible, he is so infinitely above us. He is not ca­pable of Anger or Passion; nor can he fear that any Offender should escape the Eye of his Knowledge, or the Arm of his Justice.

He can find us, and he can reach us, where ever we are. So that he hath nothing to hasten him, nothing to limit or prescribe him. He may take his own time to do Justice, and he will do it, when it seems best to his Infinite Wisdom: but that must be, when it is best to set forth the Glory of his Justice, or of his Mercy. His Justice and his Mercy, both these are chiefly set forth by his great Forbearance and Long-suffering.

First, The Glory of his Justiee is set forth by this way of Proceeding. The Justice of God is the same in all Acts of his Government. But it especially ap­pears in his Judgments, that are visibly executed: And in them it is most highly exalted by his Long­suffering.

When God hath long forborn to punish a Sinner, notwithstanding the greatness and notoriousness of his Sins; and at last (as it will happen at some time [Page 10] or other) God takes him in hand, and deals with him as he deserves; the Long-suffering of God, before he comes to this, is that which most redounds to his Glory.

It lets all Men see, that there was a just Cause of Punishment: that there was so continued a Cause, that the Offender would not be treated otherwise: that he was not only set upon Evil, but that he could not be brought to any Good: that he was past all enduring; not only wicked, but incorrigible. It will at last make even the Offender himself, either confess his Fault, or say nothing; for he cannot excuse it, he cannot but acknowledge the righteous Judgment of God.

This is the Advantage that any Court of Judica­ture has by not giving Sentence in a Cause till the Cause is ripe for it. Before that, being judg'd as it were while it was green, it would not do so well, the Justice of it would not appear: many things would have been kept from coming out, by precipitate judging. But when things are thoroughly examin'd, and when the matter is all out, when the Bottom of every thing appears, then the Sentence comes in its Season; then every one says, Now it is as it should be. Even the Offender himself agrees to it: he stands convict, not only to the Court, but to himself. Then the Judge hath an universal Confession of his Justice: when none can say, he was not just in judging so, [Page 11] nay, when 'tis evident, he had been unjust in judg­ing otherwise.

This a wise Heathen Writer, Plutarch, observes, is an Effect of the Long-suffering of God. Dion (saith he) that basely killed his Friend, if for that he had been cut off presently, would not have died so well, as he did a long while after: when another Friend kill'd him with the same Dagger, then every one said, there is a God that avenges such things,

Adonibezek, Jud. 1. 7. having treated so many of the petty Princes about him with that barbarous In­solence, of cutting off their Thumbs and great Toes; at last, when his own Thumbs and Toes came to be cut off in like manner, then he could not but ac­knowledg Gods Justice: As I have done, (saith he) so God hath requited me.

It were easie to abound in such Examples of Per­sons, that have been by the patience and long-suffering of God (to use the Apostles word) fitted for destru­ction; and then it hath justly come upon them, to the great satisfaction of all Men, and to the greater Glory of God.

But of Persons, whoever reads History will meet with enough of these Instances; and whoever takes notice, will daily add to them by his own Observati­on. Perhaps every one may not observe it in Natio­nal Judgments, (I mean final Judgments) for they happen not in every Age: and therefore I shall [Page 12] name some few of the most remarkable of them, and deliver you the Sense of Men that were then living, to shew you what they thought that suffer'd under those Judgments of God.

They confest upon abundant Conviction, the great Patience and Long-suffering of God, before he brought things to the extremity: and they confess'd the Wickedness of their Nations, that run on in known Sins, till they even forc't God to these Extremities. These things being considered together, have tended much to the magnifying of his Glory; and it has been acknowledged by them that writ whole Books to this purpose.

So namely for the Jews; in their first Captivity, it was seen and confest by Jeremy in his Lamentations: in their second Captivity, by Josephus, in his last Book of the Jewish Wars.

For the Roman Empire, which consisted of many Provinces, when all those were given up to the bar­barous Nations, the just Judgment of God in it was acknowledged, by Jerom, by Austin, by Salvian, and divers others, in those Books which they wrote of God's Judgments on their several Nations.

Here particularly in this Island, when the Britains were over-run with the Saxons, Gildas gives God the Glory of it, in his Book of the Ruin of Britain. Likewise when those Saxons were over-run by the Danes, the crying Sins, that even forc't that Vengeance [Page 13] from God, were acknowledged and bewail'd by Lu­pus in his Book of Saxon Homilies.

And lastly (to name no more) when Constantinople was taken by the Turks, both Franzes, and others that bewail'd the Calamity, ascrib'd it to the desperate Folly of their People, who, between a sordid and a seditious Humour, refus'd to serve their Prince either with their Purses or in their Persons. He had but a few hired Men to fight for him and his Kingdom. Yet they were more than he was able to pay. So that having quite exhausted himself, having coin'd out his Altar-Plate, and at last gone from House to House to beg Money, when his Soldiers mutinied for want of it; he was feign to venture his own Person against the Enemy. And so when he fell, (as he did) under the Feet of the Enemy, when over his Body the Turks entred the City, they were amazed at the incredible Wealth they found in it; they had such a Spoil, that it grew a Proverb among them, if any grew rich on a sudden, they us'd to say, he had been at the Sacking of Constantinople.

It was so sottish a thing, for a People to lose them­selves for want of Money, when their Wealth was at the highest; as if they feared not to perish, but to be a less Prey to their Enemy: It was such an Infatuation from God, that they that knew how vile a People they were, could not but applaud the Divine Justice in it; they could not but acknowledge, it was the just Re­ward of their Sins.

[Page 14] In all the Cases before us, if these Nations had perished sooner, or otherwise, God had lost so much of the Glory of his Justice. It had not been so Il­lustrated, as it was by his great Patience and Long-suffering.

But Secondly, beside the Glory of his Justice, God shews forth his Mercy in it likewise. There is some kind of Mercy in it whenever he punishes: in his Judgment he remembers Mercy (saith the Prophet.) 'Tis a Riddle to us now, but hereafter we shall see it: God never cuts off a Sinner betimes, but even in that Judgment there is Mercy, though we see it not in this World. But God shews forth his Mercy in this World in Long-suffering, in forbearing of Sin­ners.

He shews his Mercy all the while he forbeareth. When it is so long before he strikes, he shews how unwilling he is to strike at all. He would not do it if Men would take any warning. He looks upon us as his own Creatures, Creatures that cannot live without him, no not one Minute of our Lives. Good God! do we say he forbears us? He not on­ly lets us live, but he keeps us, he maintains us all the while in our Being. All the while he waits to be friends with us, he would not have us dye in his displeasure: Every bit that we eat, every wink that we sleep, every thing we take to do us good, all are Witnesses on his side; all do as it were attest to the [Page 15] Sincerity of his Protestations, As I live (saith the Lord) I will not the death of a Sinner, Why will you dye? Yet turn your selves and live.

Without turning from Sin there is no Living to God: we must dye, that is, we must perish: Salva­tion it self cannot save us. The Law saith with great strictness, the soul that sinneth it shall dye. The Gospel hath but one way to relieve him, that is by Repentance unto life. It is that which Christ came for, to call Sinners to Repentance: It was that which he Preached, Repent ye and believe the Gospel: It was that for which he died, that God might forgive us upon our Repentance.

This being therefore so indispensably necessary, the Apostle thought fit to express it in my Text, as the Condition on which we are to be saved, and no o­therwise. This is it which I am next to shew, as to our Repentance, in what manner we are helpt and assisted by the Long-suffering of God.

'Tis first the most likely way to bring Men to Repentance.

Secondly, in Fact, it is that which oftentimes has prevail'd.

Thirdly 'tis the last the only way it can be done: When this is gone, all is gone; there is no hope for them that have out-sinned the Patience and Long-suffering of God.

[Page 16] First, it is a Rational way, the most likely to bring us to Repentance; because it giveth us divers things which are necessary for it; that is, First time to re­pent, and Secondly strong Motives to it, and Third­ly warnings to mind us of it. These are things which we could not have otherwise.

First, The Long-suffering of God gives us Time to repent: And time is needful to be had for any busi­ness, especially for a business of moment or diffi­culty, such as this is, to reclaim us from our Sins. It requires much time to do it well and effectually. And therefore not knowing how much there is to come of our Life, we were best resolve upon it, and set about it immediately; but yet, when that is done, we are but entred into a State of Repentance.

Repentance is the change of our Mind and course of Life, in every thing that is amiss, from Sin to the Obedience of God. It will require time to know our own ways, to know what God would have us do, and how to do it. It will therefore require cool Blood and calm Thoughts: Perhaps that is more then heat of youth will afford. It is a busi­ness that is to be done in retirement: And it is not presently that one can bring himself to it, that one can disentangle himself from his Companions in Sin. It is a business that requires much attention and practice, to break himself of those Habits that have got the Power over him. It requires so much [Page 17] the longer time to break our selves of them, by how much the longer we have continued in the Custom of our Sins.

If God should not afford us all the time that is ne­cessary, it were but Justice, upon them that would not afford Time for God. But when he doth give us Time, 'tis his infinite Mercy: and however we em­ploy it, we owe this to the Long-suffering of God.

But secondly, Having Time to repent, that we may employ our Time aright, this Patience of God gives us great Motives to Repentance: especially this, It makes us see that God is willing to save us; he is yet willing, after so many and so great Provoca­tions. What can work upon us, if we are not wrought upon by this?

A just God, and most justly provokt, that might have cast us off long since, as we did him: (And if he had cast us off, who had lost by it? Alas! what can we add to him?) that he should wait, as it were, for leave to shew us Mercy; while we, either easily forget, or wilfully kick against him: Yet that still he calls, and waits for us, giveth us Time and Opportunity to repent: the very sense of his Good­ness, and the shame of our Ingratitude for it; these Thoughts chased together will work much upon any ingenuous Soul.

But then farther, the hope that his Long-suffering giveth us, that God hath not yet done with us; he [Page 18] hath not quite cast us off; and the fear what may happen, if he should, as well he may, if we hold out longer: Then, how ill it would go with us, how much the worse for his Long-suffering hitherto. These, and sundry Thoughts more that his Long-suffering yields us, are the likeliest Motives to Repentance.

And thirdly, It giveth us warning besides, in sun­dry things that happen in the mean while: Warnings on the one hand, by the Conversion of others; Warn­ing on the other hand, by Gods Judgments on the Impenitent; Warning by divers things that happen to our selves, and in our Families.

All these are Calls to us from God, who speaks, not only by his Word, but by his Providence: It is as it were a Voice from Heaven that speaketh to us, Why will you die? Turn you, yet, turn you and live.

But we are especially to observe those National Warnings that happen before his Wrath breaks out to extremity. Persons may be taken away without any warning: and if there seem to be any hardship in that, God may (and no doubt will) consider them for it in the future Life. But for Nations, that have no future Life, I dare say that none were ever cut off without Warning: they have had Calls enough to bid them take heed, before they run themselves into destruction.

Such Warnings were those to the Jews, first, by the Death of good Josiah, and then Jeconiah's Captivity, before the general Captivity of King Zedekiah and [Page 19] all his People. Such were those they had again, in the taking of Jerusalem, first by Pompey, then by Sosius, before it was destroyed by Vespasian.

So the Britains in this Island had been over-run once or twice, and recovered, before they were driven out of their Country. So the Saxons being invaded by the Danes, had driven them out once or twice, and had an Interval of Peace, before they came to be a Con­quered People. So in that Instance of Constantinople, that People were sufficiently warned by two Invasi­ons that the Turks made upon them, before that which ended in their Captivity.

On these, and all other Instances of this kind, I have only this to observe, (it is in some of those Writers before mentioned) That when their Nati­ons saw themselves gone, when they were gone past recovery, when they saw things come to extre­mity, when they found themselves as it were in the Talons of their Enemies: then they could reflect upon what pass't before; then they knew that here­tofore they had Warnings; they remembred they had such and such Warnings from God: then they called themselves Mad men, that would not take warning when it was given them. O that God would trust them once more! with their Country, and with their Estate, and their Liberty! Then, how wise, and how good they would be! But that was never to be tried: it is too late, when things are gone past all Remedy.

[Page 20] The only way to escape that, is by Timely Repen­tance. If ever any Warning doth good, it is by bring­ing us to timely Repentance: and whoever are pre­served by that means, they know to whom to ascribe it, it proceeds from the Long-suffering of God.

Secondly, As it is the likeliest way to reclaim us, so it is the way that has often obtein'd. Many, that have had Time, and Motives, and Warnings, (as I shewed you we have by the Long-suffering of God) have been wrought upon by them, and have repented of their Sins, and so escap't the Judgment to come. This, being matter of Fact, is to be proved only by Instances: and of them it were easie to shew a great number, I shall chuse only two or three out of Scripture.

The first shall be that of Manasses King of Judah, whose horrible Sins defil'd Jerusalem from one end to the other: and they are said to be his Sins for which God past that Sentence upon that People. In that sin­ful Course he had spent Thirty years of his long Reign, (which was in all Fifty five years.) Had God cut him off sooner, (as justly he might) then he had undoubredly perisht in his Sins. But it was the Long-suffering of God that spared him. He was only cha­stised with a short hard Captivity, he took warning from that, he changed his Course, he turn'd a great Penitent: The People did the like by his Authority and Example, which made some amends for the [Page 21] Hurt he had formerly given them: he that brought that Sentence upon them by his Sins, obtein'd a Re­prieve for them by his Repentance.

Another, and that indeed an unusual Instance, we have in Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel. Being a Hea­then, from him nothing could be expected, but the Duties of Natural Religion. But he was so far from living up to that, that he walkt by no Rule but his Lust, for Thirty six years of his Reign. When after he had so long led the Life of a Beast, God made him like one in all things but his Shape, for an extraordi­nary Instance of his Justice; then, being sufficiently humbled, he was restored to his former way of Living, and to the glory of his kingdom; then excellent Majesty was added to him; then he was freed from all Bestiality, he became an excellent Man, a great Prophet, as the Heathen Berosus tells us: for which wonderful Change, (as himself saith) I prais'd, and extoll'd, and honour'd the great King of Heaven.

But one Example more, that is of St. Paul, who declares it of himself, I. Tim. I. 13. I was a Reviler of Christ, a Persecutor of the Christian Religion, and insolently spiteful against it. How long he was so, he doth not tell us: but it seems not to have been a very short time, by that which follows, that he ascribes his Conversion to the Long-suffering of God. And he did hope his Case would not be singular. He ho­ped many would follow his Example. He declared [Page 22] God had call'd him for that purpose, v. 16. where having said, Thus and thus I was formerly; he adds, Nevertheless I obtained Mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all Long-suffering, for a pattern to all them that shall hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

These Examples may suffice. I could name many more, to shew how well God's Long-suffering is de­sign'd, by the good it hath actually done, in reclaim­ing many Sinners, who without it must have perisht in their Sins.

I shall add but one thing more, That it is the Last Means that God uses to bring us to Repentance. When he hath first given Time and Opportunity for it; when he hath withal given sufficient Motives, and Means; when he hath warned us whither we are go­ing; when he hath done as much for us, as hath brought others to Repentance; then, after that, his Long-suffering is only to give us time to think deli­berately upon it. What one did not consider as it came, he may possibly reflect upon afterwards: ei­ther of his own proper Instinct, or by the Admoniti­on of others, or upon some occasion that may rise; especially in Sickness, or some other Affliction, (if God be so gracious to send it upon him) and this is the Utmost that God intends by it. When a Foot, or a Finger, or any such Part, hath a Gangren upon it; if the last Means that can be us'd, work no Cure, then the Limb must go off. But first it is to be numm'd, [Page 23] and so to be prepared for the Operation. That is all the remaining use of God's Patience to an incorrigible Sinner. It blinds and hardens him more and more, and so prepares him for everlasting Damnation. That is terrible indeed, and that comes on every Moment. Damnation slumbers not, (saith the Apostle) though they do. They do not think whither they are going, but they go never the slower for that.

Or if they should, their Judgment would be the more furious when it comes. Long-slighted Patience turns into Fury: and the longer it has been abused, the greater the Fury: and especially the Patience of God: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an incensed God; for our God, provok't to extremity, is a consuming Fire.

Having said so much in the Explication of my Text, I dare not be so long in applying it as I would: and yet something must be said with respect to the Business of the Day; to humble our selves before God, for our Sins, and for the Sins of our Nation.

The Fountain of all our National Sins is the low Esteem that we commonly have of our Religion. This indeed is a thing to be complain'd of generally among us: and it is much the worse, for this Aggra­vation, that it is joyn'd with great Unthankfulness to God.

God hath dealt most bountifully with us, above other Nations, in many respects; but most of all in [Page 24] that which is the Crown of all his Blessings and Mercies. We have the best Religion in the World; the Christian Religion (I know what I say) in the greatest perfection and purity, that ever was in any National Church. And yet we are so far short of other Christians in the Value they have for their Re­ligion, we so much undervalue ours, that for this, not only other Christians, but even Heathens shall rise up in Judgment against us. It shews we have low Apprehensions of God. We neither love him, nor fear him, as we ought to do. If we did, how were it possible that so many among us should have so little or no regard to those Persons or Things that are de­dicated to God, and that are hallowed to his Name? 'Tis too visible, that this is the Disease of our Church; the Mother-Disease from which all her other Ailings proceed.

From hence it proceeds, that some, seeing more Re­verence for God, and for the Things of Religion, in Popery, have been drawn off to that gross Corruption of the Christian Religion. And in this they have been wonderfully confirmed, by seeing others take offence at some Things, which were certainly in the Primitive Church, and which must be in all Churches that will keep up Order and Decency. Some of these, by a fatal Mistake, calling our Church-Government, and all our Forms and Ceremonies, Popery; and hunting out for a purer Way of Worship, (as they call it;) have [Page 25] run out first into Schism, and from thence not a few into damnable Heresies: and branding every thing that they dislike, with the Name of Popery and Anti­christianism, they have not only divided and weakned our Church, but they have added wonderfully to the Strength and Credit of Popery.

From these Sects and Divisions have proceeded, in the first place, Disobedience and Rebellion against the Civil Government. I speak plainly of that Re­bellion that robb'd us of the best Christian King that ever was. From thence we are to date the be­ginning of these following Evils; from thence the weakning and destruction of Church-Discipline; from thence the neglect of Catechism and Confir­mation; from thence a contempt or low esteem of the Sacraments of Christ's own Institution; from thence the general neglect of Family-duties, especi­ally in the Education of Children and young People; from thence a general Corruption of Manners into Loosness and Licentiousness and Debauchery. And in them that kept up a Sense of Religion, much of it has run out into Disputes, which led People to hate one another; and occasion'd many among us, seeing so many things disputed in Religion, to think that all Religion is disputable; and so by degrees they were drawn into Irreligion and Atheism.

Whoever will be pleased to look Fifty years back, and give himself the trouble to think, what many of [Page 26] us have seen, and all others may inform themselves; he cannot but know, that this which you have heard, hath been the true Course and Progress of our Na­tional Sin. He will see, for a great part of that time, such a Body of a Nation as the Prophet Esay de­scribes, i. 6. from the sole of the foot to the head without any soundness in it. To any one that feared God, it was a sad Prospect from thence, to the four and twentieth Verse of that Chapter; where God declares against his own People, Ah! I will ease me of my ad­versaries, I will avenge me of mine enemies. Yet he did not execute that Sentence presently, but within an Age or two his wrath came upon them to the uttermost.

Now who could tell all this while, but God might have pronounced the like Sentence against us, and that it might have been executed in like manner? God knows what it may come to in time. But hi­therto it has been forborn, I know not why. No Man can tell why it hath been forborn all this while. But God tells us in my Text, and elsewhere, that it is upon the account of his Long-suffering. God hath been indeed, he hath shewn himself, long-suffering to us-ward. And why is that? The Apostle tells us, be­cause he would have no man perish, but that all should come to him by Repentance.

Now to shew that God would have us come to Repentance; that as he hath made us a Reform d Church, so he would have us a Reform'd People, a [Page 27] Pattern to all other Nations for his Glory; that this is God's Design by his Patience hitherto, is as plain in the Course of his Providence, as if he had declar'd it to us by a Voice from Heaven. What can be plain­er than this, that he hath punisht us as a People whom he had no mind to destroy? It is plainer yet, by the Deliverances he hath given us: having not only saved us from the brink of Destruction, but put it withal in our power to be the happiest People under Heaven. In all the History I have read, I dare challenge any Man to shew where one Nation hath ever had two such Deliverances, as have hapned to ours, in one Age.

First, for our Deliverance at the King's Restaurati­on; what a Turn it was to this Nation? out of a most distracted Condition (in which we were ready to cut one anothers Throats) within a few Months to be a most flourishing Kingdom? How truly was it applied to that Change, what the Psalmist says, Ps. cxxvi. 1. When the Lord turned the Captivity of Si­on, then were we like unto them that dream? We did not know whether we were awake or asleep. We could scarce believe what we saw at the King's Restau­ration.

But for the use of that singular Blessing; as to that, we were truly like them that dream: for no People that had been awake, would have lost such an Oppor­tunity as that was, to have made themselves happy [Page 28] to all Generations. But alas! instead of that, instead of growing wiser and better, we grew worse with Prosperity. The People grew drunk and dissolute up­on it. The Court was that and worse, they were in­toxicated with Popery: In favour to which, it was found necessary to promote Atheism and Infidelity among the Nobility and Gentry; and for them that had a Sense of Religion, to divide them, and to ex­asperate them one against another.

By these and the like means, we not only lost the Fruit of that former Deliverance, but we were brought into a Danger as great, nay, greater than the former. For then, whatever we suffered, or feared, yet still we were not out of Hope. But there was no hope, if Popery had once prevail'd; there had been no more hope left for us, than for men in the Inquisition.

And how near was that danger of Popery? how impossible was it for us to escape? Nothing could have saved us from it, but Miracle. It was a Mi­racle of Providence that delivered us from it.

I shall not repeat what I have lately said here on that Subject: But this I shall say, which shews God's Design in it. It is a Providence, that hath not only brought us in Hope, but hath put us in actual Possession, and hath given us Security for the continuance, as well of our Liberties as of our Re­ligion. God hath put it again in our power by [Page 29] this Deliverance to be as happy a People as any is under Heaven.

Now he trys us a second time, whether we will walk worthy of his Mercy and Goodness. He sheweth us, the end of his Long-suffering is that we may not perish. But if we will, there is no Remedy. Now who would think, that God should put this to us, Twice, as you see he hath done, in one Generation? It is not to be hoped that he will deal thus with us a third time. And now, if you will take him at his Word, (so I call it, for his Providence is a Call to you from Heaven; 'tis as if he had said, Why will you die? Turn ye now and live.) To day, if ye will hear his voice, Oh harden not your hearts. To day, do what you can, at this present. You can now take a firm Reso­lution, to comply with this Providence of God; to do your part, as he hath done his, to make this a holy and a happy Nation: first holy, and then happy; it can be no otherwise.

To effect that, first begin with your selves: and then engage others, as far as you can, to break off that Course and Progress of Sin that you have heard.

To begin where I ended. First, To take God's part against all Irreligion and Atheism; against them that question his Being, or his Word, or his Government. He is the Enemy of God that doth this: he is not his Friend that can endure it to be done.

[Page 30] Next, to purge the Nation of all Immorality: and especially, of those scandalous Sins of Cur­sing, and Swearing, and Profaning the Lord's Day, of Drunkenness, and Whoredom, and all the like Abominations. These things defile the Land: they must be purged forth; or else God will not dwell in it, he will not own us for his People. Now herein, blessed be God that hath put it in His Majesty's heart to begin that Work, which I trust he will perfect in due time. He hath given that Order, which, if it be followed, will make a Reformation among us, un­less we are much wanting to our selves. They are neither good Christians, nor good Subjects, that will not follow so good and so great an Example.

Then, it will be also necessary for us, to lay all uncharitable and unpeaceable Disputes and Animo­sities among Christians. However they may differ from one another in Opinion, yet let them joyn to­gether so far as they are agreed: in things that are manifestly for the Glory of God, and the Common good of Mankind; and especially of that Society wherein they live. In such things we should first learn to Unite, and then we may hope that God in his good time may compose all our other Divisions.

Particularly for them that are in the Communion of our Church, let them shew that they are not only of our Party, but of our Religion. Otherwise they may help to save the Church, but for all that they will perish themselves.

[Page 31] If they are serious in Religion, they will shew it by their Attendance on God's Worship and Sacra­ments. They will endeavour to be as constant and devout, as they would be if they saw him there, who, we know, is present with us at those Meetings. They will shew it likewise by observing their Duties to Men for God's sake. First in Loyalty to Their Majesties, with all that Concernment that we owe Them, as the Instruments of our Deliverance: then in Obedience to Laws, which we cannot but value the more, as being sensible of our late Danger of an Arbitrary Government. They will shew it likewise, in being good Christians, as well as good Subjects: and that in all Points that belong to Men of their Rank and Condition; in good Government of their Families, in good Education of their Children, in good Examples to all their Neighbours; in Love to their Brethren, in Charity to all Men, in universal Purity of Life.

Oh! if we could all attain to this! if any num­ber of us could do it! I will not say the whole Na­tion, but if a considerable part of it! What Favours might we not hope, the whole Nation would have for their sakes? For the sake of Ten righteous Per­sons, we know, God would have spared such a Peo­ple as Sodom. A Kingdom so much greater than So­dom, as ours is, must require a proportionable Num­ber. A People so much more knowing as ours is, [Page 32] will require a yet much greater Proportion. But yet, why may not God find so much a greater Number among us? I trust he hath done it, else he would not have spared us so long; else we had long ere this, been as Sodom, and made like to Gomorrah. I trust God will still find such a Number, and that he will spare the rest for their sakes.

If there be any hope, it must be from them that serve him, as you do in this Place. I beseech you go on to do it; and for fear God should not still find his Number, be careful to keep it up, for your own, and for your Childrens sakes.

Hold fast the Profession of your Faith without waver­ing. Get in what Company you can into the Num­ber. Exhort all others to join with you, in serving God. Provoke one another (in the Apostle's sense,) not to hatred and strife, but to love and good works. Let there be no Emulation but this, who shall be the best toward God, the most knowing and exemplary Christians: and forsake not the Publick Assemblies, as some do, who I hope in time will be wiser; but ex­hort one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching: for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry; and his reward is with him, to render to every man according to his works.