IN the precedent Chapter, we have the difference stated be­tweene a religious, true fast; and that which is merely fi­ctitious and Hypocriticall. In this, we have the true ground why our fastings at some times become fruitlesse, and our prayers unsuc­cessefull: Both common theames; yet neither of them unseasonable as our times now are. Ne­ver [Page 2] did any age produce more fasting, more preaching, more praying. Never did these holy exercises produce lesse fruit. Looke we well up­on the fruites, and we must be driven to con­clude (by an argument a posteriori) that sure some where or other, there hath been fasting for strife, and debate, and to smite with the fist of wicked­nesse: Esay 48. 4. for of these bitter and accursed fruits have wee abundantly tasted, witnesse every Cranny and Corner of two miserable distressed King­domes: So that our devotion hath neither pre­vented Gods Judgments: nor (which is worse) Gods Judgments prevented our sinnes. What betweene the Atheist in heart (the schismaticall, factious, & dissembling Hypocrite;) and the A­theist in profession (the licentious, daring, & re­solved sinner) we are yet to fast, and yet to pray, and yet to prosper, and prevaile with God: wee are (at best) but under the throes and pangs of our deliverance; not, but that God is as easily in­treated at this day as ever he was since the Cre­ation; his power and propensitie to releive Eng­land, and Ireland, is as great (at this day) as ever it was to releive his owne peculiar Israell. The great incapacity we labour under, is from our selves. Gods Controversie for sinne, Hos 4. 1. is the Cause of all our Controversies among our selves; his Mercy and Justice are as immutable as himselfe, and therefore if wee are not relieved, wee must not blame him, but thanke our selves. For Behold [Page 3] the Lords hand is not shortned, &c. This Text is de­livered by the Prophet, to prevent a mistake which Commonly arises in the hearts of men, in their conceipts of God, and themselves. For if we want what we would have, or feele what we would want, we rave and storme, and impute the troubles of Israell sometimes, to Ahab the King, sometime to Elijah the Prophet, nay sometimes we pin them on God himselfe; and instead of humbling our selves under his mighty hand, 1 Pet 5. 6. we be­have our selves very frowardly in his covenant Psal. 44. 17..

For the prevention of which, this text hath a double aspect, with one eye it lookes upwards upon Almighty God, and there takes notice of an omnipotent hand, an attentive Eare, both poin­ted at with an Ecce, Bebold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save: neither his eare heavy that it cannot heare, with the other eye it lookes downeward, upon man: upon man at distance from his maker, upon man divorceing himselfe from his God, and (by a selfe Excommunicati­on) delivering himselfe up into the power and government of Satan. So that we have here Ali­quid Dei, and Aliquid nostri: that which belongs to God, described in the Negative, his hand is not shortned, his eare is not heavy, &c. (that is) he is al­waies one and the same God: That which be­longs to us, (and which indeed wee can onely call our owne) are our sins; and not barely sinnes but Iniquities too; and these with two desperate [Page 4] Consequences following close at the heeles; one is, they obscure the light of Gods favourable Counte­nance: Lu [...]. 16. 26. the other is, they make a [...] be­tweene God and us; they make us (that which is so odious in the very name) Seperatists; and of all Seperatists the worst, Seperatists from God. These are the naturall parts of the text, wherein I shall breifely discover Gods power and propensity to releive his people, and afterwards enquire into these 3 particulars. 1. What it is that seperates from God 2 ^ly. Wherein God seperates from us, 3 ^ly. (which results from both) in what con­dition we are when God is depated from us.

Behold the Lords hand is not shortned, &c. The words are a large proposall of mercy offered to all that will but make themselves capable of it, namely, that God hath alwaies an attentive eare, and a ready hand, to releive those that shall ad­dresse themselves unto him. Not that God hath either Hand or Eare in strictnes of speech, in both Humanum dicit, he speakes to us (as the nourse to the child) in that language, wherein we are best able to understand him. Nor is it a single mer­cy that is here proposed, but mercy inge­minated; not hand alone, or eare alone, but hand and eare both: not an Hand Shortned, or an Eare heavy: but an hand stretched out, an eare al­waies attentive. So that wee can no sooner pre­sent a prayer, but God immediately meets it with his eare, and whilst the prayer is even en­tring [Page 5] into his eares, he meets and embraceth with his hand of mercy.

Againe, the mercies here proposed are of two sorts, either Spirituall mercies, such as concerne the inward man; or Temporall, such as concerne the preservation of the outward: in both these respects the hand of the Lord is not shortned. As for spirituall mercies, I shall onely say thus much in briefe, that God (in that Covenant of Grace which hee is pleased to make with his Creature) freely offers unto us his sonne, and in him all the Treasures of inexhaustible mercy: No otherwise then a King by his Proclamation Royall, offers his mercy to those rebels, that will but throw away their Armes, and come in and submit themselves to him, and his Government. But as those Proclamations are seldome without the Proviso of a limited time: so Gods mercies have their dates upon them; which if once expi­red, they are no longer mercies, but the heavy doomes of wrath and Judgement; like the same exhalation which distills at one time in a sweet; softning showre; and at another time, by being detained too long, is hardned into a thunder­bolt. To the old world he gave a time of 120 yeares Gen: 6: 3: To the Citie of Nineve a time of 40 daies, Jonah 3. 4. To Jezabell a certaine space to repent of Her Fornication, Revel: 2: 21: To every soule Horam prafixam, a certaine limited time Heb. 4. 7. And as he gives his word of Com­mand [Page 6] to the sea, Psal. 104. 9. thus farre thou shalt come and noe farther: so his word is gone out concerning every one of of us here present: Thus long my hand shall not be shortned unto you, Thus long yee have the Scepter of my mercy held out unto you: Thus long I am content to wait, and listen, to heare but so much as a Quid feci, come from you: Ier. 8. 6. But not a minute longer then the limited time, the glasse is turned upon you, and there's no reversing the sentence after it is once pro­nounced. We know they were all virgins in the parable, and all of them alike slumbered and slept, Mat. 25. 1. only the foolish ones, stayed a little beyond their limited time. The time is, when God may and will be found: Esay. 55. 6. The time will be, when God cannot, will not be found; Prov. 1. 28. when his hand will be shortned and his eare heavy &c. and then he that is filthy shall be filthy still, Revel. 22. 11. and he that is unjust shall be unjust for ever. 14. 13. And because Non est no­strum, &c. It is not for us to know when this time shall be. How thrifty should we be of those houres, which are but given us to prepare for that houre which neither Men, nor Angells know of? How seasonable and welcome should that hand of mercy be: which (like our Saviours un­to Saint Peter) offers at this instant to save mee from an eternall drowning? How precious and invaluable that moment, that gives me either a Bene or a Male Discessit to all eternitie? That part of time which is past, will never wheele about a­gaine, [Page 7] that which we thinke and presume is yet to come, may peradventure never come, the on­ly time we can call our owne is the present, as yet his Hand is not shortned, neither his eare heavy: It shall be our wisedome therefore, to make Gods time, our time, the time of his Grace: the time of our Reconciliation: and let this be thought upon at all times: That he that neglects the present time, in hopes of future, does for the present forsake his owne mercy: and shall sensi­bly find himselfe for the time to come, more hardned, more unworthy, if not uncapable of that mercy he hath slighted.

2 ^ly In regard of Temporall preservations his Hand is not shortned, &c. The same hand of mercy which was a Convoy to the Israelites in the Sea Exod: 14. 2., a Crane to Joseph in the pit Gen. 37. 28.: to Ieremy in the Dungeon Ier. 38. 13., A protection to Daniell in the Den Dan: 6. 23., to the three children in the furnace Dan: 3 27:: The same hand that had the windes in his fist Pro: 30. 4. in 88: The same Digitus Dei, that pointed out that horrid, (though now we cannot say unparrallel­led) Conspiracie Novemb. 5: The same hand that saved a Crowne, The Battell at Edge-hill. and sheltered the Royall bloud Octob. 23. (at the apprehension of which hazard our Trembling will be, (and our praises should be) as strong and lasting as our memories.) The same Canopy of good providence and protecti­on does as yet hang over us, if we doe not runne away from under it.

And as it is with the Hand: so is it likewise with the Eare; Certainely the Eare of the Almighty was very free, and open to our forefathers: that Joshuah and Hezechiah could command the Sun to stand still or goe backe Iosh 110. 12. as they should direct: That Elijah had so much power over Israel and the Elements, 2 King. 20 10. that there could be neither raine nor dew for three yeares, but onely at his word: 1 King: 17 1. And that Moyses had so much power in prevailing with God, Numb: 16. that he is intreated of God, not to in­treat for the people. And yet Saint James will tell ye these were but men: [...]am: 5 17. men, subject to the ve­ry same passions, and infirmities with any of us. Our sinnes have made all the difference that is be­tweene us. Behold his eare is not yet heavy, &c. The Sunne is alwaies of the same strength, and influ­ence, notwithstanding an Ecclipse, or interposi­tion of a Cloud: The needle of the Compasse leanes alwaies to the same point, be the weather never so foule, or the distance never so farre. Gods power is like the Sunne, allwaies in full strength, there is nothing hid from the heate thereof: Psal 119 6. his propensitie to helpe, like the needle of the Compasse, leanes alwaies one and the same way: But we mistake our God, because we mistake our selves; and (with the giddy apprehensions of those that put to Sea) we thinke the Land goes away from us, when the truth is wee goe away from it.

God is an Eternall, and Immutable essence, the [Page 9] two armes of his Mercy and Justice, of equall dimension and extent: never so strict in Justice, but alwaies mercifull: never so Gracious in mer­cie but alwaies Just. Nor is it possible he should bee otherwise at any time, then what hee hath beene from all Eternitie. Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortned, &c.

This Doctrine of Gods immutability, laies a strict charge upon the pulpit and the presse, to be faithfull and impartiall in those messages that come from God. Our doctrine should not bee like the water in the weather-glasse, that rises and falls according as the winde sits. If God be alwaies the same, why should not his word be so too? There is not under heaven, a more ug­ly and deformed creature then a changeling in the pulpit; And what ever men may hope to gaine, or save, in desperate, and unsteady times; by wresting that which was never made to bow, The Scripture. yet, sure I am there's one text in Saint Iohns Re­vel. will not be wrested; That to the bold usur­per on Gods word, (either by Addition or Di­minution) God shall adde all the plagues that are writ­ten in that booke, and shall take away his part out of the booke of life. Revel 22, 18.

And (in the second place) it would bee no shame for the zealous Sectarie to reforme the de­sperate errour of his way; who is now Iesuite e­nough to contract, or dilate the Hand of Gods mercy, according as he sees the purse open, and shut, to the cause and himselfe. He makes great [Page 10] use of the Devils perspective; whereof hee hath one end for the Pulpit, and another end for the Chamber. This in the Pulpit shall present mer­cy contracted, or (like the character hee writes in) in short hand; That in the chamber shall pre­sent it both vaste, and neare; and under the pre­tence of Christian Libertie, or something that must go for zeale, shall instruct ye to swallow a­ny kind of wickednesse whatsoever. Thus by his subtle arguments drawne from the paucitie of the Elect, the difficulty of being saved, at one time, and the Cheapnesse of mercy at another, he fills his purse by the sale of his Spirituall Comforts, and Saints with more confidence and freedome, then that Church he so much de­claimes against.

Lastly, Let the dejected drooping penitent lift up his eies unto the hills from whence cometh his helpe; Psal. 121. 1. and from this text take a fayre prospect of mercy to his saving Comfort: Behold the Lords hand is not shortned, &c. He hath given thee all the assurances of mercy thou canst propose unto thy selfe: he hath given thee his Royall word, his Covenant under hand and seale, his many sa­cred protestations: nay, he hath bound himselfe by Oath, to be reconciled, at what time soever thou shalt turne and repent. Away then with those feares and Jealousies, that make thee unca­pable of thy makers mercy. The Majesty of a King is never so deeply wounded, as when Roy­all intentions, and Declarations become blasted [Page 11] by distrust. And 'tis just with God, that they should forsake their owne mercy, that dare not trust it. The truth is, The weaknesse of our faith, pro­ceeds commonly from the foulenesse of our guilt, and the reason why we stand in our owne light, and turne our backes upon Gods favoura­ble countenance, is because our workes are the workes of darknesse, Joh. 3. 19. and therefore we hate that [...]ight that will discover them.

Beware then of shortning the good hand of God; Remember Moses at the rocke; Num. 20. 10. and that great favourite that perished at the gate of Sa­maria, 2 King. 7. 2. 17. by the weight of that mercy he would not beleive. Though more miscarry by pre­sumption, yet the more desperate are they that ruine themselves by their own despair. If there­fore thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Je­sus Christ, and beleive with thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead; (and steere thy course according to this beleife) thou hast the Apostles warrant, thou shalt bee saved, Rom. 10 9.

In the meane time (for the great extremities we labour under) the same Apostle assures, that God is able to doe exceeding abundantly for us, above all that we can aske or think. Ephes. 3. 20. It may seeme strange: what? above all that we can aske or thinke? Sure that must be a vast circumference of mercy, that extends it selfe beyond our thoughts; and if deliverances would come with thinking, we could soone thinke our selves into a better con­dition. But mistake not; This hand of mercy is [Page 12] not held out to every idle, squandring thought, every extemporary, indigested prayer: but con­fin'd to prayers qualified with faith; thoughts regulated by obedience; fasting governed by sincerity. 'Tis expected all these should move from a pure heart, a good Conscience, and from faith un [...]ained. Ephes. 1. 5. Wee aske and receive not, and St James gives the reason, Jam. 4. 3. because we aske amisse; we thinke high, and thinke in vaine, because (indeed) we doe little else but thinke: wee fast oft, and mis­carrie when all is done; and the reason followes in the text, because the obstruction continues unremoved; Behold the Lords hand is not shortned, neither his eare heavy: but your iniquities have se­parated betweene you and your God, and your sins &c.

First then, what it is that separates. Saint Paul makes the Quoere Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? If these would separate, we were but in a very ill condition, as our times now are; by these (indeed) faith may seeme at some time stupefied, or as it were strangled for the time, it cannot be extinguished. (as there be many things that will cast into a traunce, that doe not sepa­rate the soule from the body) Nothing from without can make this separation, the Enemies that must doe it, must be of our owne house, of our owne cabinet and familiar acquaintance: the text calls them here by two names, Sinnes, and Iniquities: (that is) they are severall sorts of [Page 13] sinnes, and severall degrees in sinne: what these Iniquities were, and what a mischeivous influ­ence they had upon the Common-wealth of Is­rael, may be seene in the verses immediatly fol­lowing the text; Their hands were defiled with in­nocent bloud: their lips blacke with lies: their tongues furr'd with murmuring, their hearts so mischei­vous that they hatch'd Cockatrice eggs: they wea­ved the Spiders web, their feet swift to shed bloud, the way of peace they knew not, they made themselves crooked paths, that whosoever went along with them might not know peace: this the extract of their Sinne; and therefore their punishment followes, They groaped as men without Eyes, and stumbled at noone day, they roared all like Lions, and mourned like Doves, and sate in desolate places like dead men, &c. In the seventh of Ier. 12. God com­mands his people to take notice what he had done to Shiloh ( the place of his name, the dearly belo­ved of his soule) Deut. 12. 11. Jer. 12. 7. onely for the wickednesse of those that dwelt there; and the Iudgment wee read of in the first of Sam. namely, the Arke of God (which had continued among them almost 300 yeares) was taken by the Philistines, their Preists slaine, and their people miserably dis­comfited; 1. Sam. 4. 11.

The time will not give me leave to present ye with observations taken from Gods dealing with the old world, with Sodome, and Gomorrha, with Egypt, Ninive, Ierusalem, with some neigh­bouring Kingdomes of late yeares; or to com­pare [Page 14] our peace and plenty, with that of Samaria, and Ierusalem; The light of our knowledge, with that of Chorazin and Bethsaida; The sinnes of our nation, with the villany of Gibeah, when there fell by the sword threescore and five thousand; Jud. 10. The pride of our nation, with Davids ambition, when there fell by the pestilence seventy thou­sand; 2 Sam. 24. 25. The rebellion of our nation, with that of Corah and his company, when there fell by the same plague 14 thousand and 7 hundred, besides those which the fire and a strange death devour­ed. Num. 16. I shall onely adde a double aggravation of our sinnes, wherein we have out-stripped all that ever were before us.

First (as if in all the mire of our forefathers there had, not beene roome enough for us to wallow) we have fulfilled that of the Apostle, and have approved our selves exquisite inventors of evill things, Rom. 1. 30. Witnesse our new in­ventions to finde out strange sinnes, Peccata ali­ena naturae, aliena Gratiae, monsters in nature, pro­digies in Christianity; witnesse our new devis'd excesses in diet and apparell, and our new mint­ed oathes and execrations, banded without blushing in every corner of our streetes.

And secondly, I finde it recorded by the Psalmist (though with no great honour to the Israelites) Psal. 78. 34. that when God slew them, then they sought him, though before they did not; 'Twere well if but so much could be said of us; God hath slaine us, now almost a [Page 15] twelve-month together, every day brings in the report of a new slaughter some where or other, nay very probable it is, that God is slaying even whil'st I am speaking; Reading, Lich­field. Leedes, Manchester, all besieged at that time. and yet, I feare, we are yet to seeke our God: At first (indeed) he only held the rod of his indignation over us, and threatned a long time to strike, that he might not strike at all; and when he did begin to draw bloud, he did it rather like a physician, then an executioner. But now, that we have provoked him to draw more bloud, then the body can well spare; and some of the best bloud too; now that the axe is laid to the roote of all that's deare unto us (our Soveraigne, our religion, our lawes, liberties and lives being all in dan­ger) Is there an adulterer the lesse Prov. 7. 9. walking in the twilight? Is there an oath the lesse, darted a­gainst the Majesty of heaven? Is there any abatement of sinne, any improvement of grace under all our stripes? Sure, I may rather con­clude, that the tides of sinne are farre more high, and overflowing under Judgement, then ever they were under mercy: Rom. 2. 4. his mercy did not lead us before, nor doe his Judgements as yet drive us to amendment. And therefore what can we conclude, but that without infinite mercy (the way whereof we cannot see in Gods revealed will) our sinnes are ripe, and we are hard­ned to a swift destruction. I know this is harsh, and unpleasing; but I know also, that these are no times for the pulpit to present fine-spun opi­nions, [Page 16] as ornaments to be worne only in the eare; Ezek. 3. 17. 'Tis the watchmans duty to give timely warn­ing, and there is a woe reserved for that spiritual physician that skinnes over the wounds of Gods peo­ple to their hurt, saying, Peace, peace, whil'st iniqui­ties do separate. Jer 6. 14. For when the sword hath done his command, pestilence and famine shall be called in to performe theirs: nay (as if all the written wrath of God were not enough to startle us) the 28 of Deut. speakes of unwritten plagues. Deut. 28. 61. So that there shall never want a plague to find out that people that stand out in rebellion a­gainst God; And 'tis little lesse then Atheisticall to beleive, that God will give over punishing till we give over sinning.

So that, as (in the mystery of our Redemp­tion) it was not the malice of the cheife preists; nor the blindnesse of the people; nor the iniqui­ty of Pilate; nor the treachery of Iudas; but our sinnes that drew our Saviour into that dreadfull Agony of his passion: so in the mystery of that providence which hangs over us at this day, it is neither the errour, nor treachery of counsels; nor the destructive factions & divisions among themselves; nor the ignorance of a seduced peo­ple, and infatuated nation; nor the wild-fire of sedition, thrown abroad with so much art and industrie; at all which we so much storme and rave; no, Gods messenger must bid you looke some other way, into your selves, into your own bosomes: they are your owne iniquities, that [Page 17] have unhing'd our goodly frames of Govern­ment, and drawne the Church and State into that dreadfull Agony under which it now la­bours: But your iniquities have separated, &c.

Secondly, wherein God separates. First God withdrawes from a people in the generall, by withholding all good things from them, Ier: 5. 25. Such is the nastie stench of sinne, that it turnes Allmighty God cleane out of his way of mercy, (just as a man changes his walke, when he sees a stinking carrion throwne in his way) God will walke with us no longer then wee walke with him, and if we forsake him, he also will forsake us, 2. Chron: 15. 2.

Secondly, God withdrawes, by withholding the presence of his protection, and Except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain. Psal: 127. [...]: When God is so highly displeas'd with his peo­ple as to put them out of his protection, see what follows; A Lion out of the forrest shall slay them, & a Woolfe of the wildernesse shall destroy them, a Leopard shall watch over their Cities, because their trespasses are many, and their rebellions are increased, Ier: 5. 6. Of so great esteeme was this presence of God in Moses his time, that the Israelites durst not march one foote without it; If thy presence goe not with us, carrie us not from hence, Exod, 33: 15.

Thirdly, God may very properly be said to withdraw, when he takes away his Deputies, the men of his right hand, Psal: 80: 17: those visible Gods to whom he hath entrusted the government of his people. And however, some have (more then) thought, [Page 18] that those may well enough be spared, (and are at this day acting their opinions) yet sure I am they are not guided by that spirit, who hath left it upon record, for the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof. Prov. 28. 2. And of those foure things which Agur observes to breed the greatest disquiet in a State, the first and cheife is a Servant when he raigneth, Prov: 30. 22.

Fourthly; God withdrawes, by withholding the presence of his Truth. His Gospell, and his ordinances are continued, but according as they are used. in the Prophet Jeremies time, The Pro­phets prophesied lies, and the Preists bare rule by the sword, and the people were very well content, nay they loved to have it so, Jer. 5. last; And though Iere­my were Israells prophet at that time, whose of­fice was to pray for them, yet God gives him an expresse command to the contrary, Thou shalt not pray for this people, nor lift up a crie, or pray­er for them. Ier: 7 16. God hath not so entaild his Gospell, or perpetuated his Church, to any one place, or people, but that he can remove it when he pleases. Tis an herbe will grow in any part of the world under the blessing of him that plants it; And when he hath just cause given him, 'tis very likely he will transplant it to a soyle that will answer the husbandrie he bestowes upon it. And why not India as well as England? I dare not say, the viciousnesse of our lives will totally excuse their want of faith: yet sure I am, the na­turall square of the very Indians, is enough to condemne our want of obedience; He that said [Page 19] Lo I am with you alwaies, even unto the end of the world; Mat: 28: 20: saith also in another place, Remember from whence thou art fallen. and Repent, and do thy first worke, or else I will come quickly, and remove thy can­dlesticke out of his place, except thou repent. Rev. 2. 5.

Lastly (and which includes all the rest) God withdrawes, by divorcing himselfe from his people; the phrase ye have Ier: 3. 8. I gave her a bill of Divorcement (saith God of rebellious Israell) an expression borrowed from those, who by matri­moniall contract, have lived a long time toge­ther, with mutuall joy and comfort, till some high misdemeanour breakes out, which hath noe other remedy but a divorcement. And this should be a word of terror and amazement; for the covenant once dissolved betweene God and us, our joynture is all forfeited, all the pledges of his love to be returned, his silver and gold, and the faire jewells Ezech: 16: 17: of his wisedome, grace, and mercy, to be delivered up; A Divorce at once casheires us of all relations to God; If any man draw backe, my soule shall have no pleasure in him. Heb: 10. 38.

And 'tis not prateritio (a passing by) but sepa­ratio, a word that speakes a farre worse conditi­on. Better we had never met under the same roofe, then to be parted afterwards; Better wee had never tasted the good word of God, never knowne the way of righteousnesse, Heb: 6: 5: 2 Pet: 2: 21: then after the knowledge thereof, to turne away, and forsake it. A Divorce proves ever scandalous, to one side or other; the memory of a better, doubleth the misery of a worse estate, and the highest aggravation of hels [Page 20] torment lies in poena Damni, the remembrance of what we once were, the contemplation of what we might have beene.

Wee have seene how God withdrawes; It were well we would consider when he with­drawes too: but herein is our blindnesse, that God is often with us, by the visible hand of his mercy and protection, whilst with slumbring Iacob and Samuel, Gen: 2 [...] 16: 1 Sam. 3: 7: we are not aware of it: And so at other times, God withdrawes and will not go forth with us, nor have any thing to doe with our designes, and yet with infatuated Sampson, Jud. 16: 20: we are ignorant that God and our strength are both depar­ted. that we may therefore be throughly awake­ned to this danger, we are to consider in the last place what condition wee are in, when God is departed from us.

Whensoever God departs from a people, or a Citie, or a soule, he leaves sinne, and guilt all­waies behind him; If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted? Gen: 4: 7: but if otherwise Sinne lies at the doore. and if Sin lie at the doore, we know what to ex­pect from such a porter, namely, That every mercy shall be excluded, and every Judgement shall be let in upon us.

The Prophet Esayes Judgment shall be let in: I will take away the hedge of my vineyard, and it shall be eaten up, and I will breake downe the wall thereof, and it shall be troden downe; I will lay it waste, it shall not be cut nor digged, but briers and thornes shall grow up, and I will command the cloudes that they shall not raine upon it, Esay. 5. 5.

The Prophet Ieremies Judgment shall be let in, Ier. 13. 13. I will fill the inhabitants of Ierusalem with drunkennesse, and I will dash them one against another, e­ven the fathers against the sonnes, (the just character of our unhappy times) brother against brother, City against City, County against County, and yet the delusion so strong, and bewitching, that (with Demetrius his rout) Acts 19: 32: the major part (in many pla­ces) know not wherefore they are come together.

The Prophet Malachies Judgment shall be let in, I will not only powre out my Judgments, but I will curse even your Blessings, yea I have cursed them already, Mal: 2. 2. Your Invocations shall become provoca­tions. Your Sacraments shall return ye charg'd with more guilt: Your Pulpits instead of teaching you to lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines and honesty, 1 Tim: 2: 2: shall traine you up into rebellion against God and your King: And that meeting (so long thirsted after to have clinched and fastned religion and govern­ment) shall prove a Petar (an engine of mischeife) to teare all in peices. In short, when once our iniquities have driven away our God; that long roll of judge­ments, that stands upon record Deut: 28, will (as so many writs) be served upon us: every mischeife will have his full blow at us; & in all this extremity that which should be our shelter, will prove our snare.

To shut up all; what hath been thus declared in the generall, must now be applied to every man in his owne particular. When God is driven out of the heart by sin, the devill is at that very instant invited to come and take possession; this earthly tabernacle of ours will not be long without a tenant. 1 Sam: 16: 14: Saul is not sooner dispossessed of the good, then possessed of [Page 22] the evill spirit; and whither that evill spirit will lead we may guesse if wee looke after the herd of swine, Mar: 5: 13: or rather indeed to a more dangerous lake then that wherein they perished, a lake of fire and brimstone, where the worme never dieth, nor the fire shall ever be quenched. Revel: 19: 20: Mar: 9: 43:

How much then does it concerne us, to separate from that betimes, which otherwise, will make an eternall separation betweene God and us? especial­ly in times of hazard, and perplexity; with what confidence might we advance against the enemy, were but our drunkennes, our prophanenesse, & the poyson of the whorish woman banished our quar­ters? (besides the scandall given to the cause) sure, our strength would not be the lesse; without questi­on, our successe would be every day more visible and apparent; when thou goest out with an army, be sure to keepe thee then from all wickednesse, saith Moyses, Deut: 23: 9. The meaning is not that wickednesse may be dispenced with at another time; 'tis spiritu­all advise tending immediately to thine owne pre­servation; for when thou goest into the feild, thou goest betweene the jawes of death, within the reach of the Cannon, thou art likely enough to take leave of this world; Let not thy mind then be so much upon thine honour, or thine enemie, as to forget what spirituall armes thou hast on, to preserve thy soule from eternall ruine. Thou wilt not march out, without thine armes: and wilt thou leave thy God behind thee? He that can so easily want his God, gives just cause to suspect, he was never yet throughly acquainted with him.

'Twas wont to be a proverbe; Let him that can­not pray go to sea and learne; and why not into the [Page 23] feild and learne? And yet are the hazards of warre so far from startling the military man, that as if (together with his commission) he had a dispensati­on to be more desperate, and daring in his sins, then any other man; he makes Lust, and Rapine, essenti­all to his profession; the most prodigious oathes, but as so many necessary accents of passion belonging to the duty of his place; as if indeed he were resol­ved on Hell, & were practiceing aforehand to curse & blaspheme. Beleive it, the weight of Damnation is no whit lessened, by dandling the name of it upon the tongue; nor can I see how they can hope to be preserved of God who wish themselves confound­ed of him every houre. Though God will not heare the prayers of wicked men, yet 'tis likely e­nough he will heare their curses, and bring them home too, like water into their bowells, and like oyle in­to their bones; nay 'tis past being likely; 'tis most certaine he will, ther's a text for it, Psal. 109: 18. I know not whether we shall more admire, or pitty those bold (not valiant) amongst us, that dare goe forth to meet their eternall condition, with hearts more hardned, then the Armes that cover them. The cause (indeed) requires our lives, it doth not require our soules, 'tis no honour to venture them. Nay little do we think how much our evill lives de­stroy, what with our lives we offer to maintaine. 'Tis said in the first Psalme: That whatsoever the godly man doth it shall prosper. Psal: 1: 3: Methinkes that should be of great esteeme (as our times are) that would make e­very thing to prosper in our hand. Sure it has more vertue, then the Philosophers stone, that will turne e­very thing we touch into a blessing: and let no man [Page 24] thinke to prosper otherwise; for he that may seeme to prosper in his wickednesse, may do well to take notice that he lies under the greatest judgement that can be named on this side hell: as having no sence of judgment till it cannot be revers'd, nor ever awake­ned till the fire be all about his eares. And there­fore whil'st ye are ingag'd in warre, be sure ye make your peace with God; and take heed of giving your selves that deadly wound, that will never be cured unto all eternity: give no cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, 2 Sam: 12: 14: and let not your good be evill spoken of, Rom: 14: 16: the goodnesse of your cause be suspected and sullied with the foulnesse of your sins: lest whil'st you appeare for your Soveraigne (and in him for your selves) by your purses, and your persons, ye plat thornes in his crowne some other secret way, and (unwittingly) wound that righteous cause, which cannot, will not thrive, but by holy addres­ses unto Almighty God.

It hath been shewed, what it is that separates from God: wherein God separates from us: & how mise­rable we are when God is departed from us. What remaines then? but that we so demeane our selves in the presence of God, whil'st his hand is not short­ned, neither his eare heavy, that upon all occasions we may have free and open accesse unto his eare: and may find that hand of mercy, (which hath hitherto beene enlarged almost to a miracle) constant, and propitious, to us and our designes. That God may alwaies owne us for his servants here in this life, and acknowledge us for his Saints in that which is to come. Which God of his infinite mercy grant, &c.