To the honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament.
WHEN you were solemnly met before God, to mourn over your sins, it was my duty to further, what I could, the melting of your hearts, that you might powre them out before the Lord. I knew not a better argument for such a purpose, then to set before you, God melting over sinners, his repentings kindled together, and his bowels turned within him fer them: it cannot but prevaile upon an ingenuous spirit, and make it mourn after the Lord. Qui nolit impendere amorem, Aug. saltem rependat, saith a father.
And the voyce of Mercy (after the windes, and earthquakes, and fires of judgement, that have gone before, and have shaken the mountaines, and broken the rocks in pieces) be but a still small voyce, yet it may prevail more then those, if God be in it; and I hope he is: For, if I mistake not, Mercy is the present receipt which the great Physitian hath prescribed to make up the cure of sick England, a Cordiall after blood-letting, and many bitter pills, that have pul'd her down. God is now powring out one mercy after another upon us, and (as I may say) rubbing and working in the oyle of Mercy, to take away the stiffnes of our hearts and to make them pliable. Now that the language of providence herein, might be both more articulate [Page] and impressive, I have brought the Word, to set home upon the heart, Gods own dispensations, God makes the doctrine, in preaching Mercy, and that in most reall demonstrations, I have endeavoured to make the application of Mercy unto our hearts, that by may of use, it might bring us to repentance, and teach us to feare the Lord and his goodnesse. It seems to be a lesson God would fain have us to learn at this time, I have therefore willingly delivered it unto you from the pulpit, where you heard it with patience. And likewise (at your appointment) I now deliver it unto you and the world from the Press, with prayer that by both or either (hearing or reading) the Spirit of God may bring it in, with a blessing, to reach the heart.
And whereas, when you had sent up the cry of your souls unto God upon the fasting day, I presented unto your eares the cry of many thousand souls, out of the North, where they cry for food, but there is none to break unto them the bread of life, and you willingly hearkened: give me leave to renew my motion (as Nehemiah to Artaxerxes) for the place of my fathers Sepulchers, which lieth waste. It is a work of so high importance and difficulty, that none are worthy to take it hand, but a Parliament, none can bring reliefe (under God) but you, who are the repairers of our breaches, and the restorers of paths to dwell in. The noble and worthy Gentlemen of your honorable Committee for sending Ministers into the Northern Counties, know, that they have long been in darknesse, even when the light of the Gospel brake forth gloriously over all other parts of the Kingdome in former times of reformation; and yet, though that honorable Committee have been zealous and piously diligent in the trust you have committed to them, (whereby they have procured and sent some labourers into [Page] the Vineyards of York, and Duresme, and Northumberland, as a happy fruit of reformation by this Parliament) some Westmorland & Cumberland of those desolate Counties have not so much as tasted of your charity in this kind, to reap the fruit of your religious Ordinance, wherein you have worthily provided for the maintenance of some godly Ministers there.
The scarcenesse of Ministers, the remotenesse of those parts, the smalnesse of Church-livings there, and the generall backwardnesse in Ministers to goe into those cold Countries, are some of the chiefe obstructions. For the first, I doubt not but your wisdoms will find out a better Antidote against the scarcity of Ministers, then liberty of prophesying (which some plead for upon this ground): if the Ark be shaken, Uzzah may not (under that pretence) put forth his hand to hold it. Rather your Parliamentary care, to reduce and reform our Universities, to view all publick Schools, whereby children of pregnant capacities, may bee brought up in a way of learning, to incourage the study of divinity in Colleges, to see that Scholars dwel not too long in Fellowships when they are fitted for the service of the Church (according to the provisoes that are made already in the statutes of some Colleges in Oxford): your wise cosideration (I say) of these and like things, will beget great hopes of a plentifull harvest (even of labourers) in the next generation. And in the mean time (as to the want of Ministers in the North) a few bright-shining lights well disposed of in those dark places, set up (I mean) in the most eminent towns of Westmorland and Cumberland; by preaching there, and travelling about, would give great light every one of them severally a great way in the circumjacent Countrey.
For the second and third impediments, I need not tell [Page] you that their maintenance had need to be such as may encourage Ministers, against remotenesse and coldnesse of the countrey, which may be sufficiently provided for, if it may please this honorable House, that the Impropriations which are sequestred, and the small Church-livings in those Counties, be collected and treasured up in faithfull hands, as one publick stock for the maintenance of such as faithfully labour in the harvest there. Touching the backwardnesse of Ministers to goe into those Countries, since it is God that inclines the hearts of men, it hath been, and is my prayer, that God would stir up the hearts of his servants to undertake so glorious a work, as the planting of the Gospel in those barren parts, wherein some faithfull Ministers have in former and later times laboured with abundance of blessed successe.
In the first reformation of Scotland, when godly Ministers were so few, that, many places of the Kingdome were like to be unsuppli d, the Ministers advised the great Councell of that Kingdom, to use their authority (with consent of the Church) for the sending of Ministers of ability to bestow their gifts where was most need. I presume not hereby to president your godly wisdomes, but in all that I have said, my desire is to provoke your zealous and mature consultations, to find out some effectuall way, for the setting up of a godly Ministery in the North: wherein, as also in all other your weighty undertakings for the Church or Common-wealth, that the blessing of heaven may crowne your unwearied labours, with success, hath been, is, and shall be the prayer of
MERCY REJOYCING AGAINST JUDGEMENT: OR, God waiting to be gracious to a sinfull Nation.
And therfore will the Lord waite that he may be gracious, and therefore will the Lord be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of Judgement; Blessed are all they that waite for him.
IN this Chapter, Isaiah prophesieth against the sinnes of Judah, which they committed in the time of the Babylonish captivity, after the death of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had made Governour over them in Iudae. For when as the Lord had promised them deliveranceat, length, from the Chaldeans, if in the meane time, they would have sit stil in their own land under the said Governour; and would have provided well [Page 2] for their security, and subsistence during their captivity. Jer. 42.10.11. Jer. 42.10.11. If ye will still abide in this Land, then will I build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up. Be not afraid of the King of Babylon of whom you are afraid, be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. Yet they, (transported with fear, lest the Babylonians should revenge upon them the bloud of Gedaliah, whom they had treacherously slain) distrust Gods promise, and will needs go down into Egypt to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, verse 2. and to trust in the shadow of Egypt; ver. 2. which their sin the Prophet amplifies, with a double aggravation. First, That they did carry it cunningly, propriis consilijs addicti, and in their carnall policie would have covered it, pretending to aske counsell of the Lord, to colour their design, when they were altogether resolved upon their sinfull course. Ier. 42.20. So the Prophet tels them, Jer. 42.20. Ye dissembled in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord. and so the Prophet, v. 1. They take Counsel, but not of mee, they cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit. Secondly, they did it rebelliously, For the Lord had cried concerning this, ver. 7. Your strength is to sit still; ver. 7. Yet when the prophet Jeremiah effectually laid the Law to them in this point, and admonished them to take notice thereof, saying, The Lord hath said, O ye remnant of Judah, go ye not into Egypt, know certainly that I have admonished you this day. Ier 42.19. Ier. 42.19. Notwithstanding they would not heare the Law of the Lord but rather opposed it; saying to the Seers, see not, and to the Prophets, Prophecy not unto us right things. ver. 9.10.11. ver. 9.10.11. [Page 3] So they said, and worse unto the Prophet, Ier 2.23. Ier. 43.2.3. Thou speakest falsly, the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not down into Egypt to sojourne there. But Baruch the sonne of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans; that they might put us to death, and carry us away Captives into Babylon.
Against this their sinne thus aggravated, the Prophet sets himself to Denounce Gods Judgement; wherin he declareth both what the Judgement shall be, and how it shall be inflicted; the matter of the Judgement is, that God will make the broken reed of Egypt wheron they leaned, to go into their hands and pierce them, (as of Egypt it is said in another Storie Isa. 36.6.) The strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, Isa. 36.6. and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. ver. 3. And for the manner, ver. 3. the Judgment shall befall them unexpectedly and on a sudden; as a breach in a high wall at an instant, against which there can be made neither resistance nor defence. ver. 13. And it shall fall upon them heavily in Egypt, ver. 13. so that they shall be broken all to pieces, like the bursting of a Potters vessell, that affords not a sheard to take fire from the hearth, or water out of the pit. ver. 14. And it shall fall up-upon them in a way of Retaliation, wherin God will make the severall parts of their sin to recoile upon them, as severall parts of their Judgement: they make Egypt their hope, God will make Egypt their shame; they would flee from their enemies in carnall Policie against Gods command, they shall flee before their enemies for their own necessity: they would be swift to escape their enemies, God will [Page 4] make their enemies swift to overtake them: they were afraid of the Babylonians without cause when God would have had them to be fearlesse; but now they shall have cause to fear, and flee from their enemies that shall pursue them, till they be left as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain; Even as one tree left for a Sea-mark in the cuting down of a Forrest, and as an Ensigne on a hill, or a forsaken Standard when all the men that fought under it are cut off. ver. 16.17. ver. 16.17. But while the Lord was going on so fiercely to Judgement against them, he stayes his hand and forbears; these rebellious Jewes neare about 150 years, (as Hierom computes) between the denouncing of this Judgement in Isaiahs, and in the execution of it in Jeremiahs time. If any wonder why our Prophet gives you an accompt, that God doth it not to countenance or wink at their wickednesse, Alvarez in Isaian. sed minatur cupidus non exequendi minas, saith Alvarez, he threatnes that he might but threaten, and thereby bring them into a capacity of mercy, that for the present were fit only for wrath and Judgement. And therefore will the Lord waite that he may be gracious, &c.
My text is a Sermon, wherein the Prophet gives the Jewes an account, why: God did not forthwith destroy thē, though they were even ripe for Judgement. Division. In this Sermon we have set before us, the just lineaments & properties of a Sermon. viz.
- 1. A Doctrin, The Lord waites to be gracious.
- 2. Reasons of it 2. viz. because
-
- 1. He will be exalted in his mercy.
- 2. He is a God of Judgement.
- 3. An application or use of the Doctrin; Blessed are all they that waite for him.
Here you see my Sermon cut out, both in parts and method: The words opened. Ere we come to handle the Doctrin (which is the first branch) the words thereof are to be explai, ned, & among them particula [...] non est omittenda saith Forerius, Therfore] the first word [therefore] is to be well observed; This Relative and Illative paritcle, bids us look for premisses whereon to inferr the text; but the difficulty of finding any hath troubled expositors. Some do make the inference from the sin of the people, in refusing to waite upon the Lord when he called upon them saying, ver. 15.16. v. 15.16. In returning & rest shall ye be saved, in quietnes & confidence shal be your strength, and ye would not, but said no; as if the Prophet should have said, there must of necessity be a waiting; the vision is for an appointed time, and seeing you will not waite upon, and be obedient to him, behold (and be astonished) Therfore the Lord will waite that he may be gracious unto you: This inference holds out the freenesse and riches of divine goodnesse, because God is gracious, therefore he will waite that he may be gracious. Some do make the inference from the Judgmēt denounced against the sin of the Jewes, that since God had determined to bring evill upon them if they repented not, (for every threatning carries in it a tacite condition of impenitency) and therefore till the time that the Decree bring forth, The Lord will waite that he may be gracious unto you. And this holds out the riches and bountifulnesse of his patience and longsufferance-spoken of, Rom. 2.4. But I humbly conceive with others that the word [therefore] looks best inward into the text it selfe, where we find the exaltation and glory of his grace [Page 6] and mercy, the spring and (as I may say) the first mover of God to waite, and the finall cause of this his waiting; he will waite that he may be gracious, and he will waite that he may be exalted in showing mercie: and this Gods own design of advancing his goodnesse and patience, towards these obstinate and sinfull Iewes, offers the fairest and most genuine ground of inference: And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious.
Waite] expectabit, Waite] which signifies locum paenitendo concedere: others tell us that this doth not sufficiently expresse the force of the Originall word, which signifies as much as a longing expectation, [...] vehementer expecta vit in hiare vel anhelare, as a hungry man waits for meat, or as a theef doth waite for a man to rob him. Hos. 6.9. it may denote [...] a looking after with neck stretched out, rendred the earnest expectation of the creature, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Rom. 8.19. Rom. 8.19. the summe is, huc tendit, in hoc totus est ut misereatur, The Lord waits as being very desirous to be gracious unto you, though the Iewes were unfit for mercie, and fit for Judgement at the present, the Lord in waiting suspends his justice, and looks sot a time that he may be mercifull.
That be may be gracious] He is so alwaies in himself, Gracious] but doth not alwaies appear such unto his people, they are not alwaies capable of the sweet aspects of grace, by reason that their sins do sometimes bind them overto his Justice; so that he cannot be gracious salvâ justitiâ, till they repent & return to him; & then he will be (that is, declare himself to be) gracious unto you, in pardoning your sin, in taking off [Page 7] your punishment, in delivering you from the sentence gone out against you, and in setting you at rest in your own land. And therfore will the Lord waite, that he may be thus gracious unto you. [...] The point.
Sometimes God wonderfully suspends his Judgments, Doct. and waits upon a provoking people, that he may be mercifull to them.
What the Poets faine of their Jupiter, (that he never throws his Thunder-bolts, but when furies wrest them out of his hands) in a sense is true indeed of God, he never takes his rod in hand unprovoked, nor alwaies when he is provoked by the sinnes of a people.
God is provoked every day, yet is he slow to anger; Yea somtimes when he has determined to bring evill upon a people, and put himself into a posture of Judgement, drawn out the sword, and smitten them, though they cease not to provoke him, he ceaseth to punish them; as a tender Father in correcting a rebellious and graceless child, holds his hand somtime before the child begg for mercie, and of meere grace forbears, so God did w th Israel. Psa. 78.38. Psa. 78.38. Notwithstanding their dissembling, with their flattering tongus, & covenant breaking hearts, He forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not, yea many a time turned he his anger away, and would not stir up all his wrath; Multus in co suit ut averteret iram suam Musc. The words are, He multiplyed to turne away his anger; as they multiplyed to provoke it, he multiplyed to turne it away: and so at length overnumbred [Page 8] their sinnes with his mercies, that they were not destroyed.
And when the same people of the Iewes elsewhere seemed to confront Gods Judgements with their obstinacy, by persisting in their sins, as if they meant to contend with God whether he should prevaile in punishing, or they in sinning: yea when in all reason (if we look upon it with humane judgement) their punishment should have been increased, rather then mercy should have been extended to them: Behold how admirably the Lord breaks out into a way of mercy Isa. 57.17 18. Isa. 57.17.18. For the iniquity of his covetousnes was I wroth & smote him, I bid me & was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart: I have seen his waies, and I will heale him: I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. What Logick can draw an argument of mercy from this Topick, I have seene the frowardnesse of his waies? Their sinne was a foul sin, committed against their experience of the evill of sinne, he had made them tast of the fruit of their doings; and Gods eye is a pure eye and cannot behold iniquity; so that one would have thought God would have concluded, I have seen his waies and I will punish him; but that he should conclude I have seen his waies and I will heale him, is an astonishment.
As it was the commendation of Theodosius his clemency & sweet disposition, Theodosius. that it was to him as if he received a benefit, if he might have an opportunity to forgive an injury: So it is the excellency of divine bowels, that the Lord is very desirous to forgive be cause mercy pleaseth him; and will rather somtimes [Page 9] make an occasion then want one to take up his displeasure, when it is incensed against his people, & if they be not in themselves yet, in a capacity of mercy, he will waite til they be, that he may be mercifull to them. It is observable upon what ground the Lord seems to take up a resolution, never to destroy the world any more by a floud. Ge. 8.21. Gen. 8.21. I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake, for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth. He drowned the world before, Gen. 6.5. because the imaginations of mans heart were evill; Gen. 6.5. and will he now spare it because the imaginations of mans heart are evill? Gen. 8.21. what riddle is this? is the evill in mans heart any lesse then it was? or is it lesse hatefull in Gods eye then it was? neither so nor so, but the Lord having now smelled a sweet savour in Noahs sacrifice, Gen. 8.21. which was a type of Christ, in whom God and man were reconciled; God will now magnifie his mercy and patience, so that Multa in scriptura efferantur, [...] quae tamen oportet intelligi [...] Damasc. lib. 4. de orth. fide cap. 20. Saepe illa Hebraea particula [...] et graeca [...] in bibliis usurpatur adversative pro quamuis, licet Tarn. Exer. Bibl in 1 Sam. 2.25. though man be as sinfull as ever he was, and deserves that the ground should be cursed again with another floud as well as ever he did; yet God to shew the riches of his grace and mercy, will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake, though the imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth; which leads me to the grounds of reason holden out in the next place.
The reasons of such Gods wonderfull dispensations somtimes, are given in the text; And first why he suspends his Judgements so unexpectedly and extraordinarily somtimes, Reasons when yet a people do still provoke him; even because he will be exalted in his mercy; And therfore will he be exalted, that he may [Page 10] have mercy upon you] exaltabit, Exalted] se he shall stir up him self that he may have mercy, as intending to show mercy with all his might. When the psalmist would have God help the Church to purpose, he intreats the Lord to stir up his strength and help her; Psa. 80.2. so when he intends here to be mercifull to purpose, he will stir up himself. Or exaltabitur parcendo vobis, God shall be exalted in pardoning; it shall appeare to be grandis clementia Dei, (as Hierom cals it) when he pardoneth unexspectedly; he lifts up his mercy above mens thoughts, as far as the Heavens are above the Earth. So in the Prophet, God speaks of himself, when he pardoneth aboundantly, Isa. 55.7.8.9. I will nor trouble you with the many other interpretations that are made of this phrase, as that it signifies the exaltatiō of Gods hand, in fimilitudinem percussuri, as Oecolampadius, or Gods going up again into Heaven, from whence he was come down out of his place to punish them, and the like. The two first interpretations give you (as I humbly conceive) the genuine sense and mind of the words, which holds out the reason of the point; even that God may be the more exalted, and set up in his mercy.
There is an ordinary course or path holden out in Scripture, wherein divine justice and mercy, do commonly proceed in punishing or in pardoning: When a people sinne against God, they shall be punished; when a people repent of their sinne, God will repent of their punishment, and they shall be pardoned, thus it is generally in Gods dispensations; and because God hath not tyed or limitted himself to walke alwaies (though he hath tyed us alwaies to [Page 11] waite upon and expect him) in the way of his word for the dispensation of his justice and mercy. there is also a way of Prerogative (as I may call it) wherein God may and sometimes doth dispense his mercy, in reserved cases, above the common rule, Videtur miscricordiae limites transilire, Theodo. Suepsius. he somtimes repents of punishing a people, before they repent of sinning against him, as you have heard in the proofe of the point; and when he walks in such untrodden paths, God is singularly exalted in his mercy these foure waies.
How God is exaleed in his mercy by such dispensations.First, In the principle of mercy, I mean the goodnesse of his nature, whereby he is so strongly, so invincibly inclin'd to mercy, that he will not retaine anger; he will not be provoked somtimes, though he be provoked by the sins of his people, and this sets him up so incomparable high in the admiration of his people, Mica. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee; that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? Mica. 7.18. he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. According to what the Lord declared of himself to Moses, when he made his glory to passe before him. Exod. 34.6. The Lord God, mercifull and gracious, Exod. 24.6. long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse: what goodnes is it that God will forbeare to strike in the midst of provocations? The Prophet wholly ascribes the praise of our non destruction to that, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, Lam. 3.22. because his compassions faile not. What goodnes that the great God (on whom all the creatures in Heaven and earth should waite) should waite on his poore creatures!
Secondly, by such extraordinary dispensations [Page 12] God is exalted in the freenesse of his mercy: punishing lesse then we deserve, is confessedly mercy. Ezra. 9.13. Ezr. 9.13. pardoning fully where punishment is deserved is yet more, but how is mercy exalted when blessings are given instead of punishments? I say not praeter meritum, but contrameritum? when there is not only nothing at all in the people to help forward, but almost every thing in them that might hinder the exercise of mercy; when all the arguments and motives to mercy, must be drawn out of Gods own bowels, God must needs be very glorious in the freenesse of it: Thus God held out the gloriousnesse of his free mercy toward Israel, when after their rejection he restores them, what blessings he bestowes upon them Ezek. 36.11. Ezek. 36.11. I will setle you after your old estates, and will do better to you then at the beginning. The very materials of the blessings are large demonstrations of mercy, even that he will do such great things for them; but lest they should not see the full glory of his mercy toward them therein, he presseth them to take notice that he would do these things freely. ver. 22. ver. 22. Say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my own holy Names sake which ye have prophaned among the heathen.
Thirdly, God is hereby exalted in the richnesse of his mercy: when a people continue in their provocations & rebellions against God, tis not a little mercy that can stand in the breach. When Israel Num. 14.11.12. had very far provoked the Lord, num. 14.11.12. so that he spake of plaguing & disinheriting them, Moses prays ver. 17.19. ver. 17.19. That the Lords power may be great in pardoning [Page 13] and that he will pardon according to the greatnesse of his mercie: the Lords great wrath was kindled, therefore his power had need be great to keep it in. When a man is thoroughly moved with anger, there is much ado to keep in his passion that it break not out; now nothing can be so provoking to stir up our anger, as sin is to stirre up Gods displeasure against a people; how great is that mercy then that can keep in divine wrath? And as he prayed that the power of the Lord might be great, so he prayes that his mercy may not be little; their great sinnes will need the greatnesse of his mercy. Eph. 2.4.5. So the Apostle Eph. 2.4.5. when he mentions Gods reconciliation with man, who was by nature a child of wrath, and had nothing to pacifie, but all in him rather to provoke God farther; he presents God as rich in mercy and of great love, that could love or think of being reconciled to him while yet he was dead in sinnes and trespasses, whereby God may be the more exalted.
Fourthly, God is hereby exalted in his faithfulnes, that he doth performe his promisses of mercy to his people, even when there lye so many and great obstructions and impediments in his way, by the greatnesse of his peoples sinnes, as many times there do. This is the exaltatiō that some Expositors think is meant in the text, Moller. in locum. ut fides eius in promissis testatior fiat apud omnes & illustrior, that God will break through all opposition to relieve his people with mercy, when they are under the strongest holds of sin: when he hath entred a Covenant with his people once though they be unfalthfull, 'tis his glory that hee abideth faithfull, 2. Tim. 2.14. 2 Tim. 2.13. if they turn aside [Page 14] into spirituall whoredome and Apostasie (and well enough deserve a bill of divorce) he will not cast them off but recover them by repentance, and show mercy unto them, according to his promise when he married them unto himself, Ier. 3.14.15. Ier. 3.14.15. Turne O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you, and (though you have broken Covenant with me, I will make good my promise unto you) I will take you, and give you Pastors according to my heart. How glorious is the exercise of mercy when this his faithfulnes takes hold of the Almighty? if his people provoke him, how is mercy exalted in the conflicts that are between justice and mercy? in the turning of divine bowels? Hos. 11.8.9. Ho. 11.8.9. How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together: I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the holy One in the midst of thee.
The second Reason showes you why God waits upon a provoking people and doth not cut them off in his Justice; [because the Lord is a God of Judgement]
1. Some take Judgement for Justice here, and put the Emphasis upon the word [God] the God of Judgment; Alvarez in locum. [Judicii Dominus] saith Alvarez, he may remit the punishment of sinne without showing a reason, and spare the guilty if he please without offence to any. Voluntas divina suprema lex, The Judg of all the earth cannot but do right; he is judicii Dominus, the God of Judgement; whereas if a man Judge should acquit the guilty and let them passe unpunished, [Page 15] he should sinne against the Common-wealth, and violate his own duty; quia non est Judicii Dominus, sed Domini vicarius.
2. Some take Judgement here for moderation, in punishing of sinners in a way of opposition to severity and wrath, as Ier. 10.24. O Lord correct me, Ier. 10.24. but with Judgement, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing: God therefore waiteth upon sinners not only because he is slow to anger, but also he moderates the execution of his Judgements; I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished saith God to Iacob, Jer. 30.11. Ier. 30.11. that his people may not be consumed under his correcting hand.
Gods wisdom to improve his waiting upon a sinfull people.3. Some take Judgement here for wisdome or spirituall prudence and discretion in God, he waits upon a provoking people sometimes, because he knowes when to apply mercy, and how to improve all opportunities to the best advantage of his owne glory, in his administrations to a sinfull and provoking people.
First, He can discerne when a people are fit for mercy, and distinguish between penitent and impenitent sinners; the deceitfull heart, though it be desperatly wicked shall not deceive him, but he will give to every man according to his waies. Jer. 17.9.10. Ier. 17.9.10. Like a wise Physitian he knows when to purge, & when to give cordials; so that, as in mercy he looketh for an opportunity that he may do good, so he knows how, to take it and when; and hence it is, that sometimes he waits very long, till a people be brought into desperate straits, and out of all hopes ere he deliver them; because the Church was not in tune for mercy [Page 16] till then he waits. Isa. 33.8.9. The high waies lie wast, the wayfaring man ceaseth, Isa. 33.8, 9. the earth mourneth, Lebanon is ashamed, and hewen down: Sharon is like a wildernes, &c. and then will he be gracious, ver. 10. Now will I rise, saith the Lord, now will I be exalted, now will I lift up my self. And yet he is not like Carolus King of Sicily and Jerusalem, who was surnamed Cunctator, because he was wont to stay til opportunity was lost; but rather like Fabius Cunctator, so called, because he would alwaies stay till opportunity, and then would be sure to take it.
2 ly, He waits, because he knows how to take his times, & seasons to prevaile upon, and bring in a rebellious people toward mercy, who yet are very far from, and unfit for it. A mans wisdom showes it self much in discerning seasons; The Lord spake unto Manasseh, but he would not hear, and therefore he waites, because he knew there would come an opportunity when Manasseh would hear, and hearken after the Lord, 2 Chro. 33.10.12. in afflictions. 2 Chro. 33.10.12. and he waited not in vaine, for so it came to passe; when he was in afflictions he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers. So when the Lord had to do with Israel, he complained of their contumacy, that they were untractable, like a wild Asse in the Wildernesse, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure. Ier. 2.24. Ier. 2.24. In her occasion who can turn her away? as good seek to take a hare with a Taber, (as we commonly say) yet the Lord knows how to meet with her, though for the present all that seek her, will not weary themselves: in her moneth they shall find her, when this wild creature shall be great with [Page 17] young, not able thus to run about in the wildernesse, then a man may talke with her; so when Israel hath made up their iniquity, a full burden, and that Judgment begins to take hold of them, then in their moneth God will find them: and as God knows his seasons, so he knows by what means to prevaile, by Judgements or by mercies; some must be brought in by an earth-quake, others will be brought in as easily by a still voice.
Thirdly, He waits because he is a God of Judgement, to know when the giving in of mercies will bring God most honour, and when Gods hand will be most clearly seen to give in mercies, so that they may be convincing mercies; thus he waited on his stiff-necked people, that he might be mercifull to them, even till Antiochus had broken all their power, so that there was no help to be expected; and then the Lord came in with Michaels deliverance, Dan. 12.1.7. when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people; Dan. 11.1.7. for then they could see that their help was from God. Thus he waited upon the wastful Prodigall till he had spent all, so that he must either have God or nothing, Luk. 15. and then the Fathers imbraces are sweet and welcome. Luk. 1.
Before I come to the Use of the Prophets doctrine which the text presents you, let us consider whether this age be not one of these [sometimes] wherein God wonderfully suspends his Judgments, and waites upon a provoking people; that he may be mercifull to them. Are we not astonished and like unto them that dreame this day? while wee looke upon the God of our salvation answering us (as he doth) by terrible things [Page 18] in his righteousnes, doing terrible things that we looked not for, whereby the moūtaines (even the mountains of enemies and opposition) do flow down and tremble at his presence; he that hath formerly drawn out the sword and bent his bow, and like an enemy fought against us, giving Iacob to the spoile and Israel to the robbers, has in the midst of wrath remembred mercy; and when he saw that there was no man, and wondred that there was no intercessor; his own Arme hath brought salvation to him, and his righteousnes it sustained him. Who would have thought in a few months past, that we should have seene such a change in England, in so short a time? that our solemn fasts the fast of the 4 th monetle, and the fast of the 5 th and the 7 th and the 10 th month should be turned into solemne feasts of joy and gladnes? that our thanksgiving dayes, should over number our dayes of humiliation? Yet am I so farr from the opinion of laying aside our humiliations, in these times of rejoycing, (as if they were inconsistent with our joyfull feasts,) that I conceive the duties of humiliation and rejoycing spiritually performed, very helpfull one to another, and to spiritualize one another; blessings obtained by prayer and fasting, cannot but affect the soul and raise it unto a greater pitch of spirituall thankfulnesse; and when mercies have made the soule to rejoyce in God, it cannot but mourne over sinne more ingenuously then before. If mercies will not work with a people this way, when God gives them in, after judgements, they will be, but lucida intervalla, presages of greater Judgemēts to follow, Sim. like the Sunshine between two dread, [Page 19] full stormes; or rather like a reviving between two fits of a feaver, when the patient dyes of the latter: Chorazin that had been lift up to heaven by mercies, and the great works that were done in her, was afterwards thrust down to hell in Judgements. Ingentia beneficia, ingentia flagitia, ingentia supplicia, If great wickednesse follow great benefits, great punishments shall follow great wickednesse: as is confessed by Ezra. 9.13.14. Ezra. 9.13.14.
Repentance and reformation is the point that we must be brought unto, either by Judgments or mercies; and since former Judgements have not brought us to it; O that the Lord would melt our hearts this day with his astonishing mercies! that our hard and frozen Spirits which would not be broken hitherto by the hammer of his Judgements, might now be softened by the fire of his mercies! And truly (honorable and beloved) mercies (especially when they are given in to an undeserving people, as our mercies are) are very proper premises and principles of godly sorrow and shame for sin, seeing that this is promised as a fruit of mercy.
I have looked into the Book of God, to see whether God hath been wont, in former times, to bring in his people to repentance and reformation, by deliverances and mercies. For if God have never gone in such a way with a people heretofore, I should feare (that notwithstanding our many and wonderfull publick mercies wherewith God hath at present blessed our Land) we should have an after-clap, and be brought back again into the refiners fire, and furnace of affliction, that our drosse (which is not yet [Page 20] severed from us) may be purged out, and our filthinesse depart from us, which is the way whereby God ordinarily prevailes with a people in that kind. And of all the hopefull presidents I could find, wherein God hath brought in a people by mercy, this is the most eminent, Ezek. 36.31, 32. Applied. Ezek. 36.31.32. Then shall yee remember your own evill wayes, and your doings that are not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Not for your sakes doe I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you, be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes, O house of Israel. You may look upon Israel in this chapter, as Englands parallell in our present condition: They had defiled their own land with the bloud that they had shed, and with their Idols: yea, they had profaned the name of God among the heathen also: and therefore the Lord had powred out his fury upon them, V. 17-21. v. 17.-21. but the Lord pitied them, for his own holy Name, which they had profaned, and he resolved to sanctifie his great and holy Name by delivering them from captivity, and setting them at peace in their own Land, V. 21-25. v. 21.-25. And further, he would reform them according to his covenant, and make them a holy people, and their land which had been laid waste, a fruitful land, v, 25-31. V. 25-31. And when the Lord shall have done all this, and that without the least desert of theirs, (as the Lord bids them take notice of it, Be it known unto you) then shall they repent and be ashamed. He is a stranger to England, that hath not seen England like unto Israel in their sinnes, it hath been defiled with bloud [Page 21] and idols, whereby the Name of our God hath been profaned; and like to Israel in their punishments, the Lord hath powred out his fury upon them; and like unto Israel in their deliverances and mercies, God is now sanctifying his holy Name, which we had polluted, by delivering us, and making way to settle us at peace in our own land. The Lord make England like unto Israel in their repentance and reformation also. Now because the undeservednesse of mercie, (and that they are given to those that could not expect them) has a great influence upon the heart, as appears in that God presseth it so often, v. 21.22. & 32. I desire to set before your judicious cōsideration, three things, How to mourn in the sight of present mercies. Directions. that may help us to a mourning frame of spirit in the sight of our great mercies, that we may loath our selves in our own sight this day for our iniquities, and be confounded for our own wayes.
1 First, Let us set our sins this day, (at least some of them) in the sight of our hearts together, with our mercies; David looks upon both together, while from his mercies he reflects upon himself, when his people offered so willingly toward building the Temple, 1 Cro. 29.14. Who am I? and what is my people? So wee while we look upon the mercies that God hath heaped on us, may sit down astonished, & say, Who are we, and what is our people? are we not an Apostatizing nation? we werefallen from our Primitive reformation, & there is yet a spirit of whoredom in the midst of us to oppose reformatiō to this day. Let us look upon Ierusalem, how severely the Lord dealt with her for abusing his love, and turning aside to spirituall fornication as we have done. [Page 22] Ezek. 16.38.40. Ezek 13.36.40. I will judge thee (saith God) as women that break wedlock and shed bloud are judged; and I will give thee bloud in fury and jealousie.
We are also a Covenant-breaking people, and having taken the name of God in vaine, how should the Lord hold us guiltlesse? this brought wrath upon Israel and Iudah unavoidably; the house of Israel and Iudah have broken my Covenant, Isa. 11.11. Ier. 11.11. Therefore I will bring evill upon them, which they shall not be able to escape. We have been and are apt to say a Confederacy, to such as God would not have us say a Confederacy to; and to cover with a covering, but not of Gods Spirit, as our Prophet complains, Isa. 30.1. we subject Religion, and the things of God, Isa. 30 1. to carnall ends, being led by carnall policie, in matters of conscience and highest concernment, too much verifying in that of old; Mater peperit filiam, et filia devoravit matrem; Policy hath alwaies been a clog to Religion, and would never suffer former ages to adventure upon a through reformation; the Lord keep our generation that we dash not against the same rock!
Though the Lord hath pronounced them cursed that trust in man, Ier. 17.5. and make flesh their arme, Ier. 17.5. we are full of carnall confidence, lifted up, or cast down, according as outward means and humane probabilities, do ebb or flow; like Israel, we seek God when we need him, Psa. 78. in a low condition, and when we are delivered we forget him. Psal. 78.
We are guilty of self-seeking, every man looks for his gaine from his quarter, (as Paul complained) all men seek their own, none the things of Jesus [Page 23] Christ: To be acted by a private Spirit in publike undertakings, doth not only blemish the beauty, but alters the nature of the undertaking, and makes that sinfull, which if acted with a publique Spirit, had been commendable and glorious. 2 King. 10.30. Jehu in cuting off the house of Ahab, did according to the word of the Lord; but because he had ends of his own in doing it, Hos. 1.4. the bloud of Ahab is put upon his account.
We suffer Gods House to lye wast while we dwell in seiled houses; by division and errors, truth is fallen in the street and confusion hasteth, and yet we look on and lay it not to heart.
We turn head against Jesus Christ, like those that break his bands and cast away his cords from them; Psa. 1. we refuse his easie yoke, and cast off his light burden: as if we were of their mind that said, wee will not have this man rule over us. Luc. 19.21. Luc. 19.21. All this scumme is in the midst of us untaken away, and all this drosse and much more is in us in the very fire of Gods Judgements, so that in our filthinesse is lewdnesse.
Now consider Gods usuall manner of proceeding with such sinners; He will set his face against them, and they shall be slain before their enemies, &c. Lev. 26.17. Lev. 26.17. and if they walke contrary, he will punish them seaven times more, and seaven times more, and seaven times more for their sinnes; and at last walke contrary unto them in fury. The like also when Israel grew incorrigable (as England hath been) and would not return to the Lord; what gradations of Judgment are mustered up against them? Amos 4.6. Amos 4.6.
2 ly, Consider Gods admirable patience towards us above his former dear people; he bare with their [Page 24] maners in the wildernes 40 years, but whats that to fourscore years patience wherein he hath born with England? and all these yeares, what pride, and contempt, what abominations hath God put up at the hands of a foolish Nation? And is not England yet destroyed? She hath boyled in Sodoms lust, but she is not consumed with Sodoms fire: she hath committed Israels iniquities, but she hath not suffered Israels punishments. God did exalt his mercy in sparing the rebellions of Israel, Ezek, 20.14.17.22. Ezek. 20.14.17.22. when it was breaking forth against them three times, yet still he wrought for his own names sake; but how often hee hath restrained his wrath when it was ready to break out against England, and wrought for his own names sake, to spare us, in turning his wrath away, I appeal unto you. In all this, if we consider how God hath out-gone, I say not our desert, but even our faith, our prayers, and expectations in the greatnesse & multitude of his blessings, giving them in most seasonably, when we were upon the brink of ruine, by his own hand, so that we may say, If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, we had been swallowed up. And that he should doe all these after so much patience, wherein he hath many a time turned his wrath away, notwithstanding our many and provoking sinnes, wherewith we have pressed the Lord as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves, so that he hath groaned under us, (as it were) and complained of our unkindnesse, Micah 6.3. O my people! what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? Testifie against me. What hard heart can yet tread upon such bowels? Whose eyes would not run over in looking upon [Page 25] those divine meltings? and say, It is known unto us this day, that not for our sakes, but for his own holy names sake which we had polluted, the Lord hath done all this: we are ashamed and confounded for our own wayes.
Blessed are all they that wait for him. Ʋse.] The use which our Prophet makes of his own Doctrine, is, of Exhortation to a duty, Wayt upon the Lord, backed with the encouragement of a promise; Blessed are all they that wait for him. He that of meer goodnesse turnes away his displeasure from a people while they do sinne against him, and waits upon them for an opportunitie to doe them good, will much more not disappoint them when they wait for him: if he wait in mercy, 'tis fit they should wait in duty: Waiting for God, what it is. if he wait to give, and they wait to receive, mercy, the conclusion cannot but be blessed. Blessed are all they that wait for him.
The duty exhorted to, is to wait, and waiting is to return from sinne, to a diligent attendance upon God in the wayes of obedience, joyned with a fiduciall and patient expectation of salvation and mercy according to his will.
It consisteth sn 4 things. 1.It is made up of foure ingredients, 1. of Repentance; sinning is contrary to waiting, and therefore there must first be a turning, Hos. 12.6. Turn thou to thy God, (saith he to Ephraim) keep mercy and judgment, Hosea 12.6. and wait on thy God continually.
2 2 There must be a diligent attendance upon God, with a heedfull observance of his wayes, such as the Church professeth, Psa. 123.2: Psal. 123.2. As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a [Page 26] maiden to the hand of her mistresse, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God.
3 3 It must be in the wayes of obedience: waiting is not an idle posture, but imports the diligence of a Sentinell: if we wait for salvation and deliverance, there must be activity and diligence to serve Providence for Sions enlargement, the Lord expecteth help against the mighty, though he needs it not.
4 4 There had need to bee Faith (with her two daughters, Hope and Patience) to make up and carry on this blessed work of waiting for God: we must wait as the Husband-man for the pretious fruits of the earth, Ja. 5.7. Ia. 5.7. There must be a space between sowing and reaping time: if we sow in teares, expect to reap in joy. The Isles shall wait upon me, and in mine arme shall they trust, Isa. 51.5. saith God, Isa. 51.5. Wee must not trust in our Bow or Sword: creature confidence cannot stand with a right waiting upon God. 'Tis thou that savest us from our enemies, Psal. 44. And where our waiting is, there is our hope. What wait I for? Psal. 39.7. saith David, my hope is in thee, Psal. 39.7. And where hope is, Rom. 8.25. there is patience, Rom. 8.28. If wee hope for that we see not, then doe with patience wait for it. And so we are required, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, Psal. 37.7. Psalm 37.7. How ever the Lord please to dispose of things till his promise be accomplished, be content, and rest in his work, and wait for his promise. The Churches estate is couched in promises, and most in reversion, and therefore will, require to be waited for, Heb. 10.36. and that with patience. Yee have need of patience, that after yee have done the will of God, yee may receive the promise, saith the Apostle.
They that wait for God shall be blessed 4 wayes. Heb. 10.36.The motive whereby he drives on to the performance of this duty, is the blessing that attends it, Blessed are all they that wait for him.
1 1. They shall be enabled by the Lords everlasting strength, to goe on without fainting through all opposition and difficulties, in the way of their hopes, Isa. 40.31. They that wait upon the Lord, Isa. 40.31. shall renew their strength, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. It is a seasonable incouragement unto you (honorable & beloved) to wait upon God, that he may carry you through the weighty affaires, of Church and State, that will require renewed strength.
2 2. They shall be blessed with comfort and peace in their owne soules for the present, though their hopes should be deferred, Isa. 26.3. Isa. 26.3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is staied on thee. There's a sweetnesse in the very duty of waiting on God.
3 3. Their hopes shall be accomplished, they shall see the fruit of their waiting, as appeares by Davids experience, Psal. 40.1, 2, 3. Psal. 40.1, 2, 3. I waited patiently for the Lord, and hee inclined unto me and heard my cry, hee brought me up out of a horrible pit, and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. They shall never be ashamed, but shall say as Isa. 25.9. Isa. 25.9. Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, by our multiplied mercies in the successe of our Armies, God hath opened a doore of hope for us in the valley of Achor.
4 4. They shall be blessed everlastingly; though they should never live to see the accomplishment of Gods promises of temporall salvation, which they [Page 28] wait for, yet they shall have a day wherein they shall receive the waiting servants blessing of entring into the joy of their Lord, and shall say by experience, Blessed are all they that wait for him.