England's lookingglass, PRESENTED IN A Sermon, Preached before the honourable House of COMMONS, At their late solemn FAST, December 22. 1641.  
By Edmund Calamy, B.D. And Preacher at Aldermanburic, LONDON.  EZEK. 18.31. Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new Spirit, Why will ye die, O house of Israel. 
Published by Order of the House.  
LONDON, Printed by I. Raworth, for Chr. Meredith, and are to be sold at the Crane in Paul's Churchyard, 1642.   

To the Honourable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
OBedience is a virtue of such great worth, that Luther did rather desire to have grace to be obedient, than power to work miracles. Out of this very Principle it was, that I first adventured to preach before such a grave and judicious Senate, 
Mallem obedire quam miracula facere. Luther.  coram tam multis viris & tam paucis hominibus. And from the same Principle it is, that I now present the Sermon to a more public view. The time allotted for the making of it, was so short (by reason of your more serious affairs) that it might have been a sufficient Apology, to excuse both the preaching and printing of it, had not pure Obedience justly silenced all such Apologies. And now it is printed, the Sermon itself is so poor and mean, that it may fitly be answered to me, what Apelles once did to a Painter, who having drawn many Lines in a little space of time, and boasting to Apelles that he had done so much in so short a time; it was replied, That he wondered that he had drawn no more. But yet howsoever, my humble request is, That you would accept of this poor Mite, this little goats-hair, which your commands (like a midwife) have brought into the world. And indeed the kind entertainment it found in the hearing, and the great acknowledgement of your Thanks (Far above all expectation or desert) afterwards, is an abundantly sufficient incitement against all discouragement whatsoever. The subject of the Sermon is of great concernment. It is about the ruin and repair of Kingdoms and Nations; a matter suitable for you that are the representative Body of the Kingdom. Sin ruins Kingdoms. When Nicephorus Phocas had built a mighty Wall about his Palace for his defence, he heard a voice in the night, crying {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Though thou buildest thy walls as high as Heaven, sin is within, and this will easily batter down thy walls. Sin is like a traitor in our own bosoms, that will open the gates to the enemy. Sin weakens our hands, and makes them unapt to fight. Sin taketh away the courage of our hearts. It was not the strength of Ai that overcame the Israelites, but Achan's sin. sin causeth a great Army to be overcome by a little one. 
2 Chron. 24.24.  The Army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers. The sins of England, are the enemies of England. These beleaguer our Walls, and are as so many Canaanites always rising up in rebellion against us. But now on the contrary, Repentance and Reformation repairs and upholds Kingdoms and Nations: this is their fortress and Tower of defence; their Munition, Armour, and Wall of brass to defend them. righteousness exalteth a Nation, but sin is a reproach to any People. 
Prov. 14 34.  The Lord in mercy ruinate our sins, and not the Nation! the same Lord work a national Reformation, and make you his Instruments in this great work! Much hath been done by you this way already (which is acknowledged in this ensuing discourse, with great thankfulness) The Lord enable you to perfect what you have begun. He that is the Finisher of our faith, finish this much-desired Reformation! It is very observable, that when God raised up Magistrates, such as Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, and others, to pity Zion that lay in the dust, and to repair her breaches: at the same time he raised up Prophets also, such as Haggai, Zechariah, and others, to strengthen the hands of the Magistrates, and to encourage them in so noble a service: and therefore it is expressly said. Then the Prophets, 
Ezra 5.1.  Haggai and Zechariah prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the Name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then (and not before) rose up Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the Prophets of God helping them. And Ezra 6.14. The Elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the Prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo; and they builded and finished it, according to the Commandment of the God of Israel, &c. By both these Texts it appears, that the Magistrates began and finished the reparations of God's House, by the help of the Prophets of God. Suffer me, therefore (as divers others have done before) the unworthiest of all God's Ministers, according to my duty and place, to beseech and exhort you to the consummation of those blessed good things which you have begun to do for the Church of God in England. And the God of all blessings, bless you and yours.  
So prayeth Your much obliged spiritual Servant, Edmund CALAMY.   

A Sermon Preached at a Fast before the Honourable House of COMMONS.  Jerem. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. 
At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it.  
If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  
And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom, to build and to plant it:  
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, than I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.  
THis Text may fitly be called a Looking glass for England and Ireland, or for any other Kingdom whatsoever; wherein God Almighty declares what he can do with Nations and Kingdoms, and what he will do.  
1. What he can do. He can build and plant a Nation. and he can pluck up, pull down, and destroy a Nation. And when a Kingdom is in the depth of misery, he can in an instant, if he but speak the word, raise it up to the top of happiness; and when it is in the height and Zenith of happiness, he can in another instant speak a word, and throw it down again into an abyss of misery.  
2. What he will do. God will not always use his Prerogative, but he will first speak before he strikes, 
Verse 7.  he will first pronounce judgement before he executeth judgement. 
Verse 8.  And if that Nation against which he hath pronounced the evil of punishment turn from their evil of sin, 
Verse 8.  then will God repent of the evil he intended to do unto them: And not only so, but he will build and plant that Nation, and of a barren wilderness, make it a fruitful Paradise. But if that Nation do evil in God's sight, 
Verse 9  and will not obey his voice, 
Ver. 10.  then will God repent of the good wherewith he would have benefited them, and pull down what he hath built, and pluck up what he hath planted, and of a fruitful Paradise, make it a barren wilderness.  
By all this it appears, That as this day is a national day, and this Honourable Assembly a national Assembly, so this Text is a national Text, every way suitable for the occasion about which we are met. The Lord make it as profitable to you, as it is suitable for you. From the words thus explained, I gather these four doctrinal conclusions.  
1. That God hath an absolute power over all Kingdoms and Nations, to pluck them up, pull them down, and destroy them as he pleaseth.  
2. That though God hath this absolute Prerogative over Kingdoms and Nations, yet he seldom useth this power, but first he gives warning.  
3. If that kingdom against which God hath threatened destruction, repent and turn from their evil; God will not only not destroy that kingdom, but build it, and plant it. Or thus,  
National Repentance will divert national judgements, and procure national blessings.  
4. That when God begins to build and plant a Nation, if that Nation do evil in God's sight, God will repent of the good he intended to do unto it.  
The first is this,  
1. That God hath an independent and illimited Prerogative over all Kingdoms and Nations to build them, 
Doct. 1.  or destroy them as he pleaseth.  
This is set forth in the beginning of the Chapter, by ocular demonstration. God bids Jeremy Arise and go down to the potter's house, &c. them, 
Verse 2.  and when he came there, he beheld the Potter making a vessel of clay, and breaking it, and making it again another vessel, 
Verse 4.  as seemed good to the Potter to make it. And God himself makes the application; Oh House of Israel, cannot I do with you as this Potter, saith the 
Verse 6.  Lord? Cannot I make you vessels of honour, or dishonour? cannot I save you, or destroy you as I please? Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand▪ O House of Israel. Because Nabuchadnezzar would not confess this truth, he was driven to school to the beasts of the field, and he had the heart of an ox, till he acknowledged, that God doth whatsoever he will in the Army of Heaven, 
Dan. 4.34, 35.  and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou?  

Reas. 1.  This supremacy of God's power, is founded upon this absolute Right that God hath over us as he is our Creator. For he is Jehovah, that gives being to all, and receives being from none. Of him, 
Ro. 11.36.  and to him, and through him are all things. All creatures are beams from his Sun, drops from his Ocean. If I speak (saith the Text,) I in whom all men live, move, and have their being; I that made all things out of nothing, and can as easily turn all things into nothing, If I speak. This power of God over Kingdoms, hath two properties.  
1. It is illimited and independent, which appears by three expressions in the Text 1. By these words, At what instant; which hold forth unto us, that God can destroy a Nation in an instant, in the very twinkling of an eye. In the morning the Sun shone upon Sodom, but before night it was destroyed with fire and brimstone. The old World was drowned (as Luther thinks) in the Spring time, when all things began to bud and blossom. The flood came suddenly, saith Christ, it came de repente, according to the vulgar translation of these words, when they lest expected it. And on the contrary, God can in an instant make a Nation happy. The Israelites were in an instant brought out of Egypt; 
a Eodem die fuistis omnium miserrimi & omnium beatissimi. Nox una non tantum vos a morte in vitam traduxit, sed ex abysso profundissima evexit supra omnem terrenam faelicitatem, ac si in nubibios equitaretis.  and were in one and the same day, of all people most miserable, and of all people most happy, as Calvin well observeth upon this Text. 2. By these words— I shall speak. If God do but speak to destroy a Nation, it is presently destroyed: He spoke the word, and the World was made; and if he speak the word, the World will return to its first Principles. If I bring a sword upon a land, and say, sword go through that land, so that I cut off man and beast from it. Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, &c. Ezek. 14.17, 18. On the contrary, if God do but speak to plant a Nation, it is planted; for God's benedicere, is benefacere. 3. This absolute power of God is likewise deciphered by three synonimicall expressions in the Text, To pluck up, pull down, and to destroy. Which three words do intimate, That God hath an illimited Prerogative over Kingdoms, and that he can overturn, overturn, overturn uhem, as it is said, Ezek. 21.27. Or as Hugo glosseth upon the words, He can pluck up all mercies, pull down all judgements, and destroy them; that is, make an utter ruin of them.  
2. This power of God, is universal. For the words run in general, At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation: not this or that Nation, but a Nation indefinitely. There is no kingdom exempted from God's jurisdiction, or that hath Letters Patents to privilege it. If I speak concerning Jerusalem, or concerning England, &c. God is the governor of the whole World, all alike to this Heavenly Potter.  

use 1.  If God's power over kingdoms be so large, If and so absolute; let all the World stand in awe, and not dare to sin against such a mighty and terrible God: 
Isa. 40.15.  A God before whom all the Nations of the World are as a drop of a bucket, and as the small dust of the balance. And if all Asia, Africa, Europe, and America be but as the drop of a bucket; what a little drop of that bucket is one man, though never so great? If all the World be but as the dust of the balance, what a little little particle of this dust is one man? 
Iere. 10. 6, 7.  Who would not fear thee, oh King of Nations? forasmuch as there is none like to thee, O Lord; Thou art great, and thy Name is great in might. Will ye not fear me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence, 
Iere. 5.22.  which hath chained up the sea with fetters of sand? &c. That am the God of earthquakes, the God of thunder and lightning; a God that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire. Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man, that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass? and forgettest the Lord thy maker, 
Isa. 51.12, 13.  that hath stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundatons of the earth? Think of this you that are greater in sin, than in greatness, that make no other use of your greatness, but as of Letters Patents to free yourselves from all human punishments, and to licence you to make your wills your laws, and your lusts your gods; and to commit not only peccata, 
Text.  but monstra, that are Pessimi maximi, not Optimi maximi. The great Jehovah against whom you sin, is greater than the greatest; he bindeth Kings in chains, and Nobles in links of iron. He hath provided Tophet of old; yea, for the King it is provided. 
Isa. 30 33  Hell was made for great men as well as poor. Observe how resolutely and emphatically the Prophet speaks, yea, for the King it is prepared. Potentes potenter torquebuntur. Ingentia beneficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia supplicia. To whom God hath given great mercies, if they abound with great vices, God will inflict great punishments upon them. Think of this you that trample the blood of Christ under your feet, by your prodigious oaths, and by the contempt of the day, worship, and servants of Christ. The blood which you contemn is nobler than the noblest blood that runs in your veins: It is the blood of the eternal God, of that God, before whom the great, as well as the small, must appear at the great day of judgement; in which terrible day, the Kings of the earth, and the great men, 
Reve 6. 15, 16.  and the rich men, vnd the chief Captains, and the mighty men will hide themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains: And say to the mountains and rocks fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, &c. They that are here clothed in silk and velvet, shall wish for the mountains to cover them (which yet shall be but a poor shelter; For the mountains melt at the presence of the Lord, and the rocks rend asunder when he is angry. They that made others to fly away from them as innocent Lambs, from devouring Wolves, shall be afraid of the wrath of the Lamb that sitteth on the Throne. Great men must die as well as others, and when they are dead, there is no difference between the dead bones of Philip of Macedon, and other men, as Diogenes told Alexander. Remember the woeful Catrastophe of Herod the great, Agrippa the great, Pompey the great. Oh, let all men fear to sin against that God that removed the Assyrian Monarchy to the Persian, and the Persian to the Grecian, and the Grecian to the Roman. That toucheth the mountains and they smoke, before whom the devil's fear and tremble. Oh, let not our hearts be harder than the rocks, worser than Devils! Oh England, fear the God of Heaven and earth! Oh you House of Commons, 
Psal. 4.  tremble and sin not; most in the World sin and tremble not. Do you tremble, and sin not: We are all in God's hand, as a fly in the paw of a roaring Lion, as the clay in the hand of the Potter. 
1 Cor. 10.22.  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy, are we stronger than he? Consider the advantages God hath us at, and our dependencies upon him, and let us not dare to sin against him.  
A Sanctuary in all distresses and dangers. Let us fly to this God of power, 
use 2.  who giveth Kingdoms, and taketh away kingdoms as he pleaseth. The great superintendent. Fly to him as to thy Ark, thy Pella, thy City of refuge. And in our deepest miseries let us sing cheerfully the 46. Psalm, as Luther was wont to do. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. I will not fear though the earth be moved and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, &c.  
A divine project to secure a Nation from ruin; 
use 3.  to make this great Jehovah our friend; for if God be on our side we need not fear those that are against us. Deus meus & omnia: Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia. And for this very purpose we are here met this day in God's Sanctuary, flying to the horns of the Altar, to beseech that God who is the only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, that only doth wonderful things, that he would be reconciled unto us; that he would quiet the commotions that are in Ireland, reduce the Rebels into order, sheathe up the sword that is there drawn, and quench the flames that are there kindled. That the Lord would knit the heart of our sovereign to his people more and more, and of his people to him. That he would unite both Houses of Parliament, that they may join together with one heart as one man, to relieve poor Ireland, and reform England. 
Athanas. in vita Antonij.  Athanasius tells us that Anthony the Monk fought against the devil with that Text, Psalm. 68.1. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, let them also that hate him flee before him. The devil is more afraid of this Text, than any other: for he knows he is God's greatest enemy, and if God arise, he must needs be scattered. Oh, let us set God on work this day, to destroy the implacable enemies of his Church; arise oh Lord, and scatter the Irish rebels! arise oh Lord, and confound Antichrist, and build up the walls of Jerusalem! The Romans in a great distress were driven to take the weapons out of the Temples of their Gods, and to fight with them, and so they overcome. This is our course this day, we fight with the weapons of the Church, Prayers and tears. The Spartans walls were their spears: Our walls are our prayers, our help standeth in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and earth. Lord speak a word and Jericho shall fall, be favourable to England and Ireland; Lord take away our tin, and purely purge our dross! Our trust is not in our bow, nor spear. Let us labour to become God's favourites, and then we have all happiness concentred in two words.  
The second doctrinal conclusion. 
Doct. 2.   
Though God hath this absolute power over kingdoms and Nations, yet he seldom useth this power, but first he gives warning. I say he seldom useth it: for I do not lay it down as a general rule: Deus non alligat suas manus! God may, and doth sometimes destroy at once, and give no warning. Thus he dealt with the Heathen Ammonites and Idumaeans, as Calvin observes; but he seldom or never sends any great judgement upon his own people, but first he speaks before he strikes. First Verba, then Verbera, as it is in the Text. At what instant I shall speak, &c. If that Nation concerning which I have pronounced, &c. First God pronounceth a judgement before he executeth a judgement; he lighteneth before he thundereth; he hangs out his white Flag of mercy, before his red Flag of utter defiance; first he shoots off his warning pieces, before his murdering pieces. And the Reasons are,  
1. That all the World may take notice, 
Reas. 1.  that all punishments and afflictions come not by chance, or fortune, but from the immediate hand of the great God. It is he that forms the light, and creates darkness; it is he that makes peace, and creates evil, I the Lord do all these things. 
Isa. 45.7.  And therefore God gives warning to imprint this doctrine: That there is no evil of punishment, but from God.  
2. Because God is loath to punish. 
Reas. 2.  Minatur Deus, ut non puniat: they that mind mischief, give no warning. When Absalon intended to murder Amnon, he spoke neither good nor bad unto him, 2 Sam. 13.22. Neither would God reveal his intentions to destroy us, but only because he desires not to destroy us. I read of one that came to murder one of the Roman Emperors, and by speaking these words, Hunc tibi pugionem mittit Senatus, detexit facinus fatuus, & non implevit. Another was seen whetting his sword, and by that, suspected and detected. But it is otherwise with God, he gives many items, and sets many Beacons on fire before he destroys a Nation. As Ambrose observes upon Gen. 9.13. He puts his bow in the Cloud; Non sagittam, sed arcam, not his Arrow, but his Bow; the Bow cannot hurt us, but the Bow forewarns us of the Arrow; and the string of the Bow is to us-ward, to show how unwilling God is to punish: He must first turn the Bow and put in the Arrow, before he can shoot. And as it is, Psalm. 7.12. If you will not turn, I will whet my sword, I will bend my Bow, and make ready my Arrow. First God whets his sword before he strikes, and bends his Bow before he shoots, his Arrow is unprepared, &c. And all this, because he is a Father of mercies, and a father you know is loath to whip his child. I afflict not willingly, Lamen. 3.33. Fury is not in me, Isa. 27.4. It is your sins that put thunderbolts in my hands. As a Woman brings forth her child with pain, and a Bee never stings, but when he is provoked: So it is with our good God, He never punisheth, but when there is no remedy, 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. When God came to punish Adam, he came slowly, in the cool of the day; but when he cometh to show mercy, he comes leaping over the hills, 
Cant. 2.8.  and skipping over the mountains. God was but six days in making the whole World, and yet as Chrysostom well observes, he was seven days destroying one City, the City of Jericho.  

Reas. 3.  God gives warning for the glorification of his justice. That all those persons and nations that are destroyed, may have no Apology, no excuse, but may be speechless at the great day of account, Ne dicant sibi non praedictum Cave. There is no Christian nation, shall be able to say, That God destroyed them, and yet never gave them warning. Read the second and third Chapters of the Revelation; observe Christ's warning to the seven Churches. This made them without excuse; forewarned, forearmed.  
If this be God's ordinary course, 
use 1.  Let us admire and adore the patience of God towards our Persons in particular, and towards this Nation in general, in which we live: A Nation not worthy to be beloved, A Nation as ripe for destruction, as any other Nation. How many Tapers hath God set on fire? How many white Flags of Mercy hath God hung out? How often hath he shot off his warning pieces, to forewarn this Nation, that God would pluck it up, pull it down, and destroy it. Jonathan shot three arrows, not to hurt David, but to help David by foretelling him of Saul's murderous intention against him; But God hath shot not only three, but eight arrows, to forewarn, and forearm us. The Lord awaken our secure hearts, to the consideration of these things: God hath spoken eight ways to this Nation, by all which he hath intimated his intention to destroy us.  
1. He hath spoken unto us by the voice of his Ministers, that with one mouth and lip, have foretold us of desolation, and destruction. It hath been the constant voice of God's faithful Servants, from the Pulpit, for these many years early and late. Now this voice is not to be slighted; For surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his Servants the Prophets, Amos 3.7.  
2. He hath spoken to us by the voice of his lesser judgements. For God hath two sorts of judgements, Rods and Scorpions: Footmen, and Horsemen, as it is expressed, Ierem. 12.4. And he deals with a Nation, as a physician with his Patient. If a lesser potion will not work, the physician will prescribe a stronger. God hath sent many lesser judgements, The smallpox, unseasonable Weather, the Plague in a moderate way; but these judgements have been slighted and contemned; And lesser judgements contemned, are Harbingers to usher in greater: God threatneth, Levit. 2.6. If his people will walk contrary to him, he will punish them seven times more: and afterwards he adds, That if they will not be reformed, he will punish them yet seven times more, and yet seven times more. Vers. 18.21, 24, 28. ay, even I, will chastise you in fury, seven times more for your sins. As the ancient Consuls of Rome had Rods, and Axes, carried before them: Rods as ensigns of their lenity to penitent offenders; But Axes as tokens of their severity, against incorrigible offenders: So God hath his Rods, and his Axes, his puning Knife, and his Axe. If his pruning Knife will not amend us, his Axe will hew us down, and cast us into the fire.  
3. God hath spoken to us by the death of his godly Servants. For the righteous perish, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away; none considering that the righteous is taken away, from the evil to come, Isa. 57.1. Thus Methusalem that godly Patriarch died, the very year the flood came. And his name signifieth, A messenger of death; His death did presage the flood. Thus Austin was taken away by death, immediately before the sacking of Hippo where he lived. Paraeus before the taking of Heilderberg. Luther a little before wars came into Germany, as he himself did foresignify at his death. Thus the death of Saint Ambrose was a forerunner of the ruin of Italy. The many Reverend Preachers, The Chariots, and Horsemen of Israel, that in these few years are gone to their graves in peace; are as so many blazing Comets to portend our ruin.  
4. God hath spoken to us by the voice of other Protestant Nations beyond the Seas, that have drunk deep of the Cup of God's wrath. Herodotus tells us, that in a certain Egyptian Temple, there was a Statue built for Sennacherib, (this was he that besieged Jerusalem, and blasphemed the God of Israel, and was afterwards slain by his sons) and upon this Statue was this Inscription; {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Look upon me, and learn to be righteous. Me thinks I hear Rochel, Bohemia, the Palatinate, and other parts of Germany, saying: Oh England look upon us, and learn to be righteous. God will not always make you like Goshen, when we are plagued as Egypt: make you like Noah in the Ark, when we are drowned with a flood of miseries: make you like Gideon's dry Fleece, when we are like his wet Fleece, bedewed with sorrow and lamentation. You must not look always to drink so deep of the Cup of prosperity, when we have drunk so deep of the Cup of adversity. God hath made us examples to you; but if you amend not, God will make you yourselves the next examples. It is a most true saying: Legimus Historias, ne ipsi fiamus historia. If you will not learn righteousness by our History, God will make you the next History. Discite justitiam moniti & non temnere Divos. This is a loud and powerful voice.  
5. God speaks now more nearly unto us, by the bloody rebellion that is in Ireland; The sword that is there drawn, is like the Comet, that for a whole year hung over Jerusalem, in the likeness of a fiery flaming sword. This sword is God's warning piece to England: It is like Tamberlaines red Flag, threatening ruin, and desolation to us; For it is an old saying, He that would England win, must with Ireland first begin. A Serpent, the nearer it is, the more dangerous it is. The sword is now come very near us: It is like a Serpent in our bosoms: The Lord awaken our sleepy spirits. God hath 3. swords. The sword of the Angel, which is the plague: the sword of the Spirit which is his Word: and the sword of the Enemy. We have been woefully massacred with the first sword. The Plague hath been grievously upon our bodies, but the plague of sin still remains upon our souls; this sword hath done little good. If the sword of the Spirit will not now at last cut down our sins, we must expect the sword of the enemy to cut us down, and to destroy us.  
6. God now also speaks unto us by the many sad divisions, and unhappy fractions that are in Church and State. A kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand. It is observable, that scarce ever any great enemy entered this kingdom, but when it was at schism and division within itself. Tacitus saith, that nothing gave the Romans more advantage against the ancient Britain's then this, Quod factionibus & studijs trahebantur. Mandubratius (as Caesar calls him) out of hatred against Cassibellanus, brought in Julius Caesar. Adminius, brought in Claudius. Gnortigernus first, and Mordredus after brought in the Saxons. 
In vita 1. Agrip.  Toustains division and inroad, made way for the Normans; 
Lib. 5 de Bell. Gal.  and there were more divisions than one to help in the Danes. And there is nothing more likely to bring in the Romans once more into our kingdom, than these Mandubratians, the Adminians, i had almost said these Arminians. Oh sad divisions▪ these are as thick black clouds threatening a great shower of desolation.  
7. God speaks unto us by the great demur and delay of the reformation of the Church. For the child of reformation is come to the birth; but there wants strength to bring it forth. This is a sign, That there are some great obstructions in the kingdom, that hinder the birth of this much desired child. And it shrewdly presageth, as if God had begun to repent of the good, that he hath begun to do for us; And that, it will be with us, as it was with Tamar, in the time of her travel, Genes. 38.28,29. Zarah first puts forth his hand out of the womb, but afterwards drew it in again, and Pharez came out in his stead. So it gives us cause to fear, lest the child of Mercy should go back into the womb again, and the child of judgement come forth in his stead.  
8. God hath spoken to us by the voice of our own consciences. There is no man that lives in any known sin, but his conscience hath often told him as Abner did Joah, Will not this sin bring bitterness in the latter end? And as Reuben to his Brethren, Did I not tell you of this aforehand? That this sin would bring you to hell. There is a Light which God hath set up in all our souls, which is as a Beacon, set on fire, to give notice of God's Wrath and Vengeance. This light is Conscience, 
Tertul. Apolog.  which Tertullian calls praejudicium judicij. This is God's bosom Preacher; and when this is silenced, it portends nothing, but utter ruin and desolation.  
And thus you see how many ways, God hath given warning to this Kingdom.  
Now I beseech you, Let the long-suffering, and goodness of God, drive us to repentance. This is the use the Apostle Paul makes, Rom. 2.4. which is the more to be laid to heart, because that Saint Peter picks out this exhortation from out of all the Epistles of Paul, as one of the choicest, and urgeth it upon those, to whom he wrote, as you may read, 2 Pet. 3.15. And account the long suffering of the Lord, is salvation; even as our beloved Brother Paul also hath written unto you. Now I conceive, this is nowhere written, but in the place forementioned. Let not that which is our salvation (as Peter saith) become our damnation. Let us follow the example of Noah, Heb. 11.7. Noah by faith being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear prepared an Ark, to the saving of his house, &c. Noah had but one warning, and that of a judgement, which had no print in nature: But we have had eight kinds of warnings, and there are many prints and footsteps of God's judgements amongst us. O let us believe these Voices of God and let faith work fear, and fear work care to prepare an ark, before the flood comes. Let us be amended by God's warning-peeces, lest we be consumed by his murdering-pieces.  

Motives  There are two Motives to quicken us to the obedience of this exhortation.  
God's warnings are in God's keeping. No man hath a lock and key of God's patience. He is long-suffering, but not always suffering, and how long he will suffer, no man knows. Sometimes God is warning of a people 120. years, as he was the old world. Sometimes but 40. years, as he dealt with the Jews, before the destruction of Jerusalem, Sometimes but 40. days, as in Ninive's case. Sometimes but one night as in Lot's case, who had warning of the burning of Sodom, but the night before. We in this Nation have had many years warning. I fear me, the Taper is almost burnt out: That the Sun of our prosperity is ready to set. And that the hourglass of our happiness is almost run out. This is our last warning. Mistake me not; I do not prophesy what God will do; but what we deserve God should do, and what we may justly expect he will do, and what we ought to provide, if he should do. Let us amend now, or never; before the day of Mercy be past, before the drawbridge be taken up. It may be too late the next year.  
The warnings of God, when they are slighted, they will necessitate and aggravate our condemnation.  
1. They will necessitate our condemnation. For there are three degrees of God's wrath. His threatning wrath, his punishing wrath, and his condemning Wrath. And this is God's method. First, He threatneth▪ before he punisheth: And if his threatning anger reform us, we shall never feel his punishing anger; but if his threatenings prevail not, we shall certainly feel his punishing anger. And if neither threats, nor punishments prevail, nothing remains but his condemning Wrath. Si non audies vocem misericordiae, senties vocem judicij. Si nonaudies primam tubam, 
Bernard.  senties ultimam. Si non audies Deum minantem, senties punientem & condemnantem. What destroyed the old World, but because they did not regard Noah's warning? What destroyed Lot's sons in Law, but because they mocked at Lot's warning.  
2. They will aggravate our condemnation: For as a child in the mother's womb, the longer it is in the womb, before it comes forth, the bigger the child will be, and the more pain it will put the Mother unto. So the longer God keeps in his wrath, and is patient toward a Nation, the bigger the child of wrath will be, when it comes forth, and the greater will be our misery and affliction. This Metaphor God himself useth, Isaiah 42.14. I have a long time holden my peace, I have been still, and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travelling woman, I will destroy, and devour at once. Though God hath leaden feet, yet he hath iron hands. The longer he is before he strikes, the heavier the blow will be, when he strikes. Patience is the proper purchase of the blood of Christ. There was no patience under the first Covenant. 
Bernard. Sermon de triplici miseric.  Deus non expectabat Angelos, non expectabat Adamum, God did not wait for the Angels, nor for Adam; but as soon as ever they had sinned, he throws the one out of Paradise, the other into Hell. But for us sinful sons of Adam, God for Christ's sake tarrieth, and waiteth our conversion. Oh, let us not sin against the merit of Christ's blood! Read the 5c. Psa. 21, 22. These things thou hast done and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God; lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Let us not stop our ears from hearing these eight Voices, lest God turn his words into blows, and stop his ears from hearing our voices in our extremities. There are two degrees of mercy in God, 
Bernard. Sermon. de triplici miseric. & quatuor miserat.  Misericordia parva, & misericordia magna, His little mercy, and his great mercy. For God to wait our conversion, and to forewarn us of evil to come, this is a mercy, and a great mercy in itself considered. But it is but a little in comparison of the second mercy, which is the great mercy. And that is, when God gives us grace to make a holy use of his patience, to make his patience our salvation, and to be led to repentance by it The Lord bestow this great mercy upon us!  
The third doctrinal conclusion.  
That national turning from evil, 
Doct. 3.  will divert national judgements, and procure national blessings. So saith the Text: If that Nation turn from their evil, then will I repent, and not only so, but verse. 9 I will build, and plant it, &c. The Doctrine is a merciful qualification of God's absolute power, he is so far from using it, as that he indents and covenants with every Nation. If they repent, I will repent. Now whereas God is here said to repent, it is spoken {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, but it must be understood {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. God is not as man, that he should repent; he is said to repent, because he doth that which men do when they repent. I will repent, That is, 
Deus vult mutationem sed nunquam mutat voluntatem, Aquinas. Deus aliquando mutat sententiam, sed nunquam mutat decretum, Greg.  I will turn my judgements into mercies. God doth sometimes will a change, but he never changeth his will. God from all eternity decreed to be served in the old Testament with types and figures, and in the New-Testament, in spirit and truth. Here was a will of achange, but no change in God's will. When God is said to repent, the change is in us, not in God. As when the Sun softeneth the wax, and hardeneth the clay; here is a different act of the sun; but the change ariseth from the different object, not from the sun. So God from all eternity decrees to punish the impenitent, and to bless the penitent. And when a Nation by God's Almighty grace becomes penitent, God turns his punishments into blessings; but the change is in the Nation, not in God.  
And now give me leave to speak my mind freely; 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Naz.  i am not come hither this day to feast your ears, but to wound your hearts; you must not expect elegant and fine phrases. Non licet in tanta miseria disertum esse, This is a day, not for human, but divine eloquence. Non loquor disertae sed fortia. A day wherein we are to cry mightily unto God, to knock aloud at Heaven gates, and to extort mercy from God's hands, by a holy and acceptable violence. And for my part I know not any Doctrine more suitable to work upon your hearts and affections, than this plain conclusion; That there is no other way to procure blessings from God, or to turn away judgements from the Land, but by turning from sin unto God. The wrath and punishments which sin hath twisted, Repentance will untwist. Sin is as a thick Cloud, stopping the sunshine of God's mercy; but if we turn from sin, this will melt the cloud, and cause the son of righteousness to shine upon us. Sin, it is as a devil in the air, to hinder our prayers from ascending; but if we turn from sin, this will charm the devil, and make Satan like lightning fall down from Heaven. Sin is like so many great pieces of Ordnance, planted and charged upon high mountains, ready to shoot down Cities and kingdoms: But if we turn from sin, this will take away the force of these Cannons, and make them as Paper-shot. Sin is a wall of separation between God and us: To turn from sin, will break down this wall. Sin is the great makebate between God, and man: sin dissolveth Parliament unhappily: sin puts variance between a King and his Subjects. Sin destroyed Rochel and the Palatinate; it brought the sword into Ireland, and will bring it into England, unless we turn away from all our evil doings. To turn from sin, is a key to unlock all the chests of God's mercies. It is Clavis viscerum Dei, A preservative against all misery. Oh the divine rhetoric, and omnipotent efficacy of Repentance! This is that rainbow, which if God seeth shining in our hearts, he will never drown our souls. That star which will bring us to Christ. A repenting faith, 
Tertul. de paenit. Paenitentia radens & verrens peccata, Ibid.  is our Sacra anchora to fly unto; it is Ilex misericordiae: it ties God's hands, and charms his wrath. There is no thunderbolt so great, no wrath so furious in God, but Repentance will abolish it. This Abigail, will easily appear our Heavenly David, though he march never so furiously. Repentance is so acceptable to God, that he rewarded Ahab for his hypocritical repentance, that others by his example might be provoked to turn truly to God, who knew not his repentance to be hypocritical. I have here a large field of matter, for a year, rather than a day: But as a little Boat may land a man into a large Continent; so a few words may suggest matter sufficient to a judicious ear, for a whole lives meditation. I shall not spend time in unfolding the nature of this duty of turning from sin; or in showing the reasons why this turning is so potent to divert judgements, and procure mercies (this is the work of every Sermon. 
Use of exhortation unto two Duties. ) I will only make one Use of exhortation (for it needs application, more than explication.)  
To beseech you to turn the doctrine into practice, and to express the sincerity of your Repentance, by two duties, which are as the two poles, upon which our turning from sin doth move. By humiliation and reformation; Humiliation for sins past, Reformation for the time to come: Humiliation without Reformation, is a foundation without a building: Reformation without Humiliation, proves often a building, without a foundation. Both of them together, comprehend the essentials of this great duty, which is the very quintessence of practical Divinity.  

1 To Humiliation.  Let us turn unto God by humiliation, for sins past. This day is a day of humiliation. A Sabbath of weeping and mourning: Wherein we should wash the feet of Christ with our tears, wherein we should weep bitterly, before the Lord, pour forth our hearts like water, and strive who should put most tears into God's bottle. I beseech you, let us turn unto God with true penitent tears, drawn from the Well of a broken heart, fetched out with the backet of God's love.  
Let us sanctify a fast, and afflict our souls before the Lord, that this day may become a day of atonement. And because the Well is deep, and our hearts are very hard, and some, it may be, want buckets to draw water withal: 
Seven Buckets to draw out the water of tears.  Give me leave to offer unto you seven buckets, which will serve, as seven helps to humiliation.  
1. Let every man consider his own sins, which he himself is guilty of. Have we not broken the holy, and righteous commandments of God a thousand times, and shall not this break our hearts? Have we not broken our vows and covenants which we have often made with God, and will not the meditation of this break our hearts? 
Job 14. 17 Ps. 56. 8.  God in Scripture is said to have a bag and a bottle. A bag to put our sins in, and a bottle to put our tears in. Have we not filled God's bag with our sins, and shall we not now fill God's bottle with our tears? Doth it not grieve us, 
Eph. 4 30.  that we have so often grieved the Holy Spirit of God? Are we not heavy laden with those sins, 
Am. 2. 13.  with which God himself is pressed as a Cart with sheaves? Is not God himself broken with our whorish hearts, 
Ezek. 6. 9  and will not this break our hard hearts? Have we not had years of sinning? Oh let us have one Day of mourning! Have we not trampled the blood of Christ under our feet, and shall not the blood of this Scapegoate melt our adamantine hearts? It is an excellent saying, That in all the sins we commit, 
Six Reasons to move us to great sorrow for little sins.  we must not so much consider the sin that is committed, as the God against whom it is committed. And this will provoke us to great Humiliation for little sins, as well as great sins. For there is no sin simply little. There is no little God to sin against. The lest minimum spirituale, the least offence is committed against an infinite God; and therefore deserves infinite punishment. There was no little price paid for little sins; the least sin cost the shedding of the blood of the eternal God. There is no little disobedience in a little sin. For as there is the same rotundity in a little round Ball, as in a great one: So there is the same disobedience against God, in a little sin, as well as in a great one. To disobey God in a little, is no little disobedience. There is no little unthankfulness in a little sin. For the lesser the thing is, in which we offend God, the greater is the unthankfulness, that we will sin against God, for so little a matter. There is no little pollution and defilement, in a little sin. A little puddle may dirty a man, as well as a great one. A little Bodkin may wound a Caesar to death. There is no little punishment, for little sins; For the wages of sin is death. The wages of sin as sin, and therefore of every sin. A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia. Non est distinguendum ubilex non distinguit. And therefore let us I beseech you, mourn with a great lamentation, for our little oaths, our idle words, our omissions of good duties, and defects in good duties, &c. Can we mourn for the loss of our estates, for the death of our Children? And shall we not mourn that we have lost God, and the peace of a good conscience by our sins; and that our hearts are so dead and dull to goodness? Can we cry for the stone in the bladder, and not for a stony heart? The stone in the bladder can but kill the body; but a stony heart will cast body and soul into Hell. Weep for those diseases that will destroy soul and body for ever. We have been often in the valley of Hinnon, sacrificing our sons and daughters unto devils, by their wicked educations; improoving our parts and mercies, to the service of the devil. Oh, let us this day descend into the Valley of Bacah, and let us make this Church a Bochim, a place of weeping. We have many Church-sins, Sermonsins, Sacrament-sins. Let us have Church-tears for our Church-sins.  
A second help to humiliation, 
Buck. 2.  is the consideration of the sins of the Nation wherein we live. This kingdom is an Island encompassed with three Oceans; not only with an Ocean of water, but also with an Ocean of mercies (no Nation more exalted in mercies) and I may as truly add with an Ocean of sins. And that which makes our sins the greater, is because our mercies have been so great. We have sinned under mercies; we have provoked God, at the Sea, even the red Sea. 
Ps. 105 7.  This was a great aggravation of the Israelites sin, and so it is of ours. We have sinned not only under mercies, but with our mercies, we have made a golden calf, with the jewels of mercies which God hath bestowed upon us. We have taken the Members of Christ, and have made them the members of a Harlot. What sin is there under the cope of Heaven, whereof any Nation is guilty, which we have not engrossed to ourselves? Let us weep for the beastly drunkenness of this Nation: But why do I call it beastly? for generally beasts are sober: It deserves a name inferior to beasts, for so it makes a man for the time. 
Aust. Epist 6 4.  Austin saith, that in his days drunkenness was grown to that height, as that there was no remedy against it, but by calling of a Synod. And in our days it is grown to that giantlike bigness, as that there is no hope of redress, but in the Parliament. Woe to this Land because of this sin; this is that which will make us unable to stand before our enemies, and to stagger like a drunken man. For this sin God gives a Land over to the spirit of giddiness. Let us weep for the blasphemous swearing that is in the Nation, wherein (if in any thing) there is a pride taken in offending God, for other benefit of it I know none.  
For this sin the land mourneth, and let us mourn. Weep for the adultery and fornication, which as an epidemical disease hath overspread the Nation. 
Heb. 13.4.  Whoremongers, and Adulterers God will judge. If man will not, God will. He that divorceth himself from his wife, and joins himself to a harlot, God will divorce himself from such a man, and divorce his mercies and blessings from him. Weep for the covetousness of the Nation. This sin is the root of all evil: and for this sin God will root out a Nation. He that is swallowed up with earth, (as Corah, and his company) his ears stopped with earth, his heart stuffed with earth, God will give him earth enough when he dies; and they that love earth so immoderately, are likely to have little enough of Heaven. Weep for the oppression, Extortion, Bribery, Lying, Griping, Usury, cozenage and Deceit in trading. These sins will cause a fourth Ocean to encompass this Island, and that is an Ocean of misery. Let us shed tears for the innocent blood that is shed in the Land; for the devilish pride that is amongst us: Pride of heart, pride of apparel, in following the fashions of every Nation almost. How justly may we expect, that God should make us slaves to that Nation, whose fashions we so eagerly follow? Mourn for the great profanation of our Christian Sabbath-day: how can we expect that God should give us rest in this Land, if we will not give him a Sabbath, a day of rest? Oh, let our eyes gush down with rivers of tears! Oh that our heads were fountains of tears for the Idolatry (that Land-devouring sin of Idolatry) for the superstition, the apostasy, the contempt of the Gospel, and of the Ministers, and ministry of it that reigns amongst us! It is time for God to deprive us of Manna, when we begin to be weary of it; the time may come we may have Sermons few enough, that neglect them so much as some do. The Confessors that fled for their Religion in Queen Mary's days, 
Vrsin's preface to his catechism.  acknowledged (as Ursinus relates) that that great inundation of misery came justly upon them, for the neglect of, and unprofitableness under the Gospel, which they had enjoyed in King Edward's days. And if they were so severely punished for a few years' contempt of the Gospel; what a superlative degree of punishment do we deserve, that have had the Gospel of Peace, and the peace of the Gospel, for almost an hundred years, and yet are so unlike the Gospel in our conversations? The time would fail, if I should make a catalogue of our national sins. Oh, let us be one of the mourners in Zion, for the abominations of the Land; that so we may be marked out for safety. And let us take this rule to persuade us. Those sins which we know others to commit, and yet mourn not for them, these sins become our own sins: And therefore we may well pray with Austin, Lord deliver me from other men's sins, which for want of mourning and grieving for, I have made mine own.  

3.  A third bucket to draw the water of tears withal; is the consideration of the great breaches that are in Church and State. We are divided in minutula frustula (as Austin of the Donatists.) Let these breaches break our hearts, Let these rents rend our hard hearts. For the division of England let us have great thoughts of heart.  

4.  A fourth help to humiliation, is the consideration of the miseries that are like to come upon us as the woeful consequent of these breaches. As our Saviour Christ, when he came near Jerusalem, and beheld the sin of it, and the desolation that was impendent over it, he wept, saying; Oh that thou hadst known, even thou, 
Luk 19 41, 42.  at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes, &c. So let us contemplate the sins of England, and the destruction which we may justly expect as the fruit of our sins; and let us weep over England, and say, Oh England, England, that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee! Oh that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace. It is reported of Xerxes, 
Iustin.  that having prepared 300000. men to fight with the Grecians, and beholding so great a multitude of soldiers; he fell a weeping out of the consideration, that not one of them should remain alive, within the space of an hundred years. Much more ought we to mourn, when we consider the abundance of people that are in England, and the abundance of sin perpetrated among us; and what shall become not only of our bodies within these few years, but what shall become of our souls to all eternity.  
A fifth Bucket is, the contemplation of Germany, 
A fifth help to humiliation.  which is now become a Golgotha, a place of dead men's skulls, and an Aceldama, a field of blood. Some Nations are chastised with the sword, Others with famine, Others with the man-destroying Plague. But poor Germany hath been sorely whipped with all these three iron whips at the same time, and that for above twenty years' space. Oh, let us make use of this Bucket, and draw out water, and pour it out before the Lord this day; let us send up our cries to Heaven for Germany. It is a sign that we are not true members of the body of Christ, because we have no more fellow-feeling of the miseries of the same body. A dead member hath no sense of its own misery, or of the body's distemper. If we be living members, we will sympathize with the calamities of God's people.  

A sixth Bucket.  A sixth help to Humiliation, is the consideration of the bleeding condition of Ireland. I need not relate (you have great reason to know it better than myself) the inhuman, barbarous, Canniballisticall, and super-superlative outrages, butcheries, and massacres that are there committed by those bloody Rebels. Oh, let us send up one tear this day, as an Orator to the Throne of Grace, to plead for mercy for poor Ireland! This is one chief cause of this general Fast, to pray and weep for Ireland. Help it (Right Honourable) Oh, help it with your Prayers and Tears. Tears have voices as well as words. 
Ps 6.8.  I thank thee, oh Lord (saith David) that thou hast heard the voice of my weeping. Where note, weeping hath a voice. And as music upon the waters sounds farther, and more harmoniously than upon the Land: So Prayers joined with Tears, cry louder in God's ears, and make sweeter music than when tears are absent. When Antipater had written a large letter against Alexander's Mother unto Alexander, 
Plutarc. in vita. Alexand.  the King answered him: Dost thou not know that one tear from my Mother, will wash away all her faults? So it is with God; A penitent tear is an undeniable ambassador. An object looked upon when it is in the water, seems bigger than when it is out of the water. Let us look upon Ireland's misery through the water of our tears, and this will represent it in its due proportion. Let us weep, because we cannot weep, let our hearts weep, because our eyes cannot weep. To move your hearts a little more, suffer me to propound three examples. 1. The example of Abraham, who was so zealous for the preservation of Sodom, that by an humble importunity he brought God down to these terms, that if there had been ten wheatears in Sodom, all the Tares should have been spared for these ten men's sake. And when God was gone from Abraham, he continued so solicitous for the good or Sodom; that (as Luther thinks) he could not sleep all night. I am sure the Scripture saith, 
Gen. 19.27, 28.  He gate up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord, and he looked toward Sodom, to see what was become of his Prayers. If Abraham did thus much for Sodom, for wicked Sodom; ought not you to be much more zealous for the Protestants in Ireland, who profess the same faith, and are under the same Government with us in England? 2. 
Neh. 1.3, 4 5.  Let me offer the example of Nehemiah, who though for his own particular he was in great prosperity, and in great favour at the Court; yet when he heard of the afflict on and misery of the people of God at Jerusalem, he sat down and wept, and mourned, and fasted, and never desisted, till he had obtained leave to go and help his brethren at Jerusalem. 3. I shall propound the example of Jerome, who was writing a Commentary upon Ezekiel; 
Proemium Commentar. in Ezek.  but when he heard of the besieging of Rome (a place wherein he had formerly lived) and of the death of many godly people, he was so astonished and amazed at the news, that for many nights and days he could think of nothing. Et in captivitate Sanctorum se esse captivum putabat. He thought himself taken captive, 
1 Sa. 4.19.  amongst those that were taken captive. I might add the story of Phineas wife, but I forbear. Let these examples be your instruction and encouragement. Me thinks I hear a voice in Ireland, like the voice that was heard in Rama, Lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, 
Mat. 2. 18.  and would not be comforted because they are not. Me thinks I see (do not you so also?) the poor people of Ireland looking out of their windows, and crying out as the Mother of Sisera. 
Jud, 5.28.  Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his Chariot? Why is aid so long delayed? where are England's bowels? Me thinks I see the very flames of this great fire that is kindled in Ireland. Oh, let this fire melt our hard hearts into pity and compassion! I doubt not but this Bucket will draw out a great deal of water this day.  
There is one Bucket more, the last, 
7.  but not the least; and that is the consideration of the Lord Jesus Christ. His body was rent and torn for us. Oh, let this rend and tear our hearts that ever we should sin against such a Christ! His blood was poured forth as a sacrifice for our sins. Oh, let us pour forth our tears, for our offences against him! Beloved in the Lord; This is a day wherein we ought to make conscience to get our hearts affected with deep sorrow for sin; otherwise we do but take God's name in vain. Now there is no way more powerful to produce this effect, then by going to mount Calvary, and by burying ourselves in the meditation of Christ crucified. There is a story of an Earl called Elzearus, that was much given to immoderate anger; 
In vita ejus apud Surium.  and the means he used to cure this disordered affection, was by studying of Christ, and of his patience in suffering the injuries and affronts that were offered unto him; and he never suffered this meditation to pass from him, before he found his heart transformed into the similitude of Jesus Christ. We are all sick of a hard and stony heart; and if ever we desire to be healed of this soul damning disease, let us have recourse to the Lord Jesus Christ; and never leave meditating of his breakings kings and woundings for us, till we find virtue coming out of Christ, to break our hearts. Let us pray to the great heart-maker, that he would be the heart-breaker. So much for the duty of humiliation.  

The second duty is Reformation.  The second duty wherein we must express our turning to God is Reformation. Humiliation is not sufficient without Reformation. It is not enough to be broken for sin, but we must also be broken from sin. As a bird cannot fly with one wing, nor a man walk with one leg; no more can we get to Heaven by Humiliation, without Reformation. Both of them conjoined, are the legs and wings by which we walk and fly to Heaven, And therefore let me most earnestly exhort you to repent from sin, as well as for sin. The Crown we fight for this day, the Garland we run for, the mark we aim at, is Mercy; this is our joint suit, That God would show mercy to England and Ireland. Now the way to obtain mercy is clearly expressed, Prov. 28 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy. This God calls for from Heaven; this all the faithful Ministers in the City preach for this day, Reformation, Reformation, Reformation. As Master Bradford at the stake cried out, so do I at this time, Repent, O England, repent, repent. There is a threefold Fast, a Fast from meat, from mirth, and from sin. The two first will not suffice without the last. A beast may fast from meat. The devils fast, saith Ambrose. The old World (as some think) did never eat Flesh, and yet they were all drowned. Though we could fast till we were perfect Anatomists; though we could pray and kneel, till our knees were as hard as Camels knees (as it is reported of James the brother of Christ) yet all were to no purpose, without this turning from sin. This is jejunium magnum, as Austin saith. This is jejunium totius anni, jejunium omnium partium. This is the great and the everlasting fast, to fast from sin by reformation.  
Now this Reformation, 
This Reformation must be,  it must have two Properties, which are both of them mentioned in the Text. 1. It must be personal, 2. It must be national. It must be personal; for so saith the Text; 
1 Personal.  If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, A malitia sua. Every man hath some sin which is his peccatum in delicijs, his dilectum delictum, his beloved sin, the sin of his constitution. Let us turn from that sin, whatsoever it is; and if we know not what that sin is, let us turn from every sin, and so we shall be sure to turn from that sin. This the King of Niniveh commanded that every one of his Subjects should cry mightily unto God; 
Jona. 3.8.  and not only so, but every one to turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Thus must we; we must be able to say with David, I have kept myself from my sin. 
Ps. 18. 23.  We live in times wherein there was never more turning. Some turn like the dog to the vomit, and like the Sow to the wallowing in the mire: Some turn Atheists, some Papists, some Socinians, some Arminians. Some turn like the weathercock, which way the wind bloweth; which way soever preferment goes, that way they turn: Many turn Neurers: Many turn from Christ's side, to be of Antichrists side; Many turn cold and Icy for God and his Church: Some are like unto the chameleon, that will change itself into any colour but white. So many will turn to be any thing but good. If times turn ill, they will be nought; but if times turn good, they will not be good. But I beseech you, let all us here present before the Lord this day, turn sincerely unto the Lord our God from all iniquity. Let us strip ourselves stark naked, of all the rags of the old Adam. Repent of your pride; dust and ashes doth better become you. Repent of your gluttony and drunkenness, let weeping be your drink, and fasting your meat. Repent of your swearing. Condemn yourselves out of your own mouths, that God may justify you. Repent of your covetousness: If ever you expect to gain Heaven, look not after the earth so much. Repent of your Adultery, that God may marry you unto himself, and lest you be married to eternal flames. Repent of your security, that you may live securely. No way to escape damnation, but by Repentance; and no man that ever repented aright, but did escape damnation. Oh that this day might be the conversion of some sinner, that they may be able to say, From such a fasting day, I began to turn unto God Oh that this fastingday might be a festival-day to the Angels in Heaven; who rejoice at the conversion of a sinner! Oh that some Zacheus would make restitution this day! That some prodigal child would return to his Heavenly Father! God Almighty exceedingly delights to show mercy to a penitent sinner. As a husbandman delights much in that ground, that after long unfruitfulness proves fruitful, and calls his friends and neighbours, to behold that ground: As a Captain loves that soldier, that once fled away cowardly, and afterwards returns and fights valiantly; Even so God is wonderfully enamoured with a sinner, that having once made shipwreck of a good conscience; yet at last returns and swims to Heaven upon the plank of Faith and Repentance. This is a notable provocation to all wretched hard-hearted sinners to turn unto God by true Repentance. God is so far from refusing you, that he rejoiceth in your conversion, and is more ready to receive you, than you are to come. And I may safely add, That in some sense God delights more in a penitent prodigal, then in one of his righteous children. As the good shepherd rejoiced more in his lost sheep, then in his 99 sheep; 
Luke 15.  And the good Woman in her lost groat; And the good Father in his lost son, more than in the son that went not astray. It is true, that Innocency of life is better, simply and absolutely considered, than Repentance: And it is more to be desired to live without sin, than to have grace to repent after sin. As a whole Garment is better than a rent Garment, and yet a rent Garment may be so handsomely pieced together, that there shall be little difference between that and a whole Garment. A penitent sinner, that feelingly apprehends the great mercy of God in pardoning so great a sinner as he was; the sense of this distinguishing love of God towards him, raiseth up his heart to a higher pitch of zeal, and enables him to draw near to God with more affection, and fervently to be more tender of sin, and to do, and suffer more for God many times, than those that are more righteous than he is. As suppose, two men at Sea, the one comes safely to shore without danger, the other escapes to shore not without great hazard and peril of life: He that comes without hazard hath more cause simply to be thankful; yet ordinarily, he that had the greater danger, out of sense of his danger, will return more praise than the other. Saint Paul laboured more than all the other Apostles, because he was a greater sinner than all the other Apostles, and had obtained greater mercy. Therefore Mary Magdalen loved much, because much was forgiven her We never read that the blessed Virgin ever came to wash the Feet of Christ with her tears. But Mary Magdalen, a great sinner she did it, and she comes first to the sepulchre, and afterwards (as some report) she spent 30. years in Gallia Narbonensi in weeping for her sins. Gregory brings the example of David, who after he had obtained pardon for murdering Uriah, and committing adultery with Bathsheba, fell a longing after the water of Bethlehem. But when the water was brought, He poured it forth before the Lord, 
2 Sam. 23.15, 16.  and would not drink of it, because it hazarded the lives of his men. Observe how tender of sin David was after his Repentance. He that before had spilled innocent blood, is now troubled in conscience, for putting the lives of his men in jeopardy: He that before longed for another man's wife, doth now repent, for desiring another man's water. Bernard brings the example of Peter, who before his denial, confidently told Christ, Though all for him, yet he would not; Yet afterwards, when he had repented of his denying of Christ, he was so tender, that when Christ purposedly asked him three times, Lovest thou me more than these? he answers not comparatively, as before, but positively; only Lord thou knowest I love thee. And this is another provocation to exhort all sinners to lay hold upon this holy Anchor, this wrath-charming Repentance. Come all ye prodigal children, all ye lost sheep that have gone astray: Behold your Heavenly Father is not only ready, but joyful to receive you; and if rightly understood, more joyful, than in his faithful Children. Was there ever mercy like to this! Oh that we had hearts to embrace it! And the greater any man is in estate, and parts, the more honour God shall have, if such a man will turn to God this day. Great men are the looking-glass of the country where they live, according to which, most men dress themselves: If they be wicked, the whole country is much the worser by them. The vices of Rulers are rules of Vices, 
Quo grandius nomen ca grandius scandalum.  Quicquid faciunt praecipere videntur. If the head be giddy, the members reel, If the liver be tainted, the body is dropsy. Jeroboam made all Israel to sin. But when great men prove good men, it is not to be expressed, 
Act. 18.8.  what good they do. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue, believed on the Lord, many of the Corinthians hearing, believed also. When the Master of the family was converted, his whole family were also baptised. The Lord make all great men, good men and good men (of parts and abilities) great men.  

2 It must be national.  As this Reformation must be personal, so also it must be national. For so saith the Text, If that Nation against which, &c. A particular man by turning unto God, may turn away a particular judgement. But when the sins of a Nation are general, and the judgements upon a Nation general, the turning must be general. If the Sea hath broken the banks, and overflown the country, it is not the care of one or two men, by repairing their banks, that can prevent the inundation. Even so when God is overflowing a Land with a general destruction, there must be a general endeavour to make up the whole breach. There must be a Court-Reformation, a country-reformation, a City-Reformation, Church and State-Reformation, a general-reformation.  
But how shall we do to obtain this general Reformation? 
Quest.   
Two ways. 
Answ.   
If you that are the representative Body of this Nation, as you stand under this relation, be reformed, the Nation itself may be said to be reformed. For you are the Nation representatively, virtually, and eminently; you stand in the place of the whole Nation; and if you stand for God's cause, the whole Nation doth it in you. Oh let it not be said, that the Reformers of others need Reformation themselves! If the eye be dark, how great is that darkness, &c. If the Salt that seasoneth other things, be unsavoury, wherewithal shall it be seasoned? This is the first way.  
The second way to reform a Nation, is when you that are the representative Body of the Nation do, as much as in you lieth, to reform the Nation you represent. This is a duty that God requires and expects from your hands. It was the complaint of Nehemiah, 
Nehe. 3, 1.  that the Nobles of Tekoah did not put their necks to the yoke of the Lord, this was a great blemish to them. Let not, I beseech you, the like brand of infamy be cast upon any of you. It cannot be denied but that this Nation needs Reformation, not only in reference to the commonwealth, but also to the Church. The Prophet in the ninth verse, compares a Nation to a House that needs building, and to an Orchard that needs planting. And sure it is, that the House of this Nation is much out of repair: the House of the Lord lieth waste, and there is much rubbish in it. Many pollutions have crept into our Doctrine, much defilement into our Worship, many illegal innovations have been obtruded upon us; the very posts and pillars of this House, many of them are rotten, the stones are loose and uncemented; the House exceedingly divided and distracted with diversity of opinions; the very foundation is ready to shake, and the House to fall down about our ears. The Garden of this Nation is over grown with weeds; and there are many not only unprofitable, but hurtful trees planted in this Garden. Now this is the great work that the Lord requireth at your hands, Oh ye Worthies of Israel! To stub up all these unprofitable Trees, and to repair the breaches of God's House, to build it up in its beauty, according to the pattern in the Mount, and to bring us back not only to our first Reformation in King Edward's days, but to reform the Reformation itself. For we were then newly crept out of Popery, and (like unto men that come newly out of prison, where they have been long detained) it was impossible but our garments should smell a little of the Dungeon from whence we came. It is said of Lazarus, that when he came first out of the Grave, 
Ioh. 1 1.44.  He came forth bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was bound about with a Napkin. So it was with us in our first Reformation: it was a most blessed and glorious work, like the resurrection from the Grave: but yet notwithstanding we came out of this Grave bound hands and feet with our Grave clothes, and eyes-blinding Napkins; we brought many things out with us which should have been left behind. Our Saviour Christ rose from the dead, and left all his linen clothes behind him. 
Ioh. 10.5.  So must we bury all superstitious Ceremonies in the grave of oblivion, and perfect a Reformation according to the Word of God. And as our Saviour Christ, in the place forementioned, 
Ioh. 11 44.  commanded his Disciples to unbind Lazarus, and to take away his graveclothes. Oh that you also would command the Apostles of Christ, the faithful and learned Ministers of this kingdom to meet in a free national Synod, for to inform you about the taking away of these grave clothes, and eiesblinding Napkins, or whatsoever else shall appear to be prejudicial to the piety and purity of of God's Worship. But than I do most earnestly beseech you to take heed that those whom you call to this Synod, be not like unto the Cardinals and Prelates who met at Rome, to consult about Reformation of the Church, 
Sleidan Convent.  of whom Luther speaks. That they were like unto Foxes that came to sweep a house full of dust with their tails, and instead of sweeping out the dust, they swept it all about the house, and made a great smoke for the while, but when they were gone, the dust fell all down again. I doubt not but if this motion (which I offer in all humility) succeed, your wisdoms will be careful to make such qualifications both of the Persons that are to choose, and to be chosen, that no Minister liable to any just exception, shall have a voice in this Synod, for fear lest our greatest remedy prove to be our greatest ruin. But this by the way.  
Oh that the Lord would make me an instrument this day to encourage you to go on in the work of Reformation. 
Isai. 62.1.  For zions sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. Arise, arise, have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come: Let it pity you to see Zion in the dust. Let this be the product of this solemn Fast to quicken you to a national Reformation. When Moses had been conversing with God, his face shone when he came down. You are now conversing with God in the Mount; Oh that your lives might shine forth in holiness, after this day: and that it may be with you as it was with Hezekiah, when he and all his people kept the Passeover together; the first thing they did before the killing of the Passeover was, 
2 Chron. 30.14, 15. 2 Chron, 31.1.  the taking away all the Altars that were at Jerusalem, and casting them into the brook Kidron. And when the Passeover was finished, all Israel that were present, went out to the Cities of Judah, and broke the Images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places, and the Altars out of all Judah, and Benjamin, in Ephraim also, and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. I speak not of any tumultuous, disorderly, illegal way, but of an orderly and legal reformation: Which I desire (like this of Hezekiah) may be the issue of this day.  
The Motives are many. 
Motives to a Reformation.   
1. If you build God's house, God will build Houses for you, as he did for the Hebrew Midwives, he will bless and prosper you. 
Ex. 1.21.  Remember what the Prophet Haggai saith. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore, thus saith the Lord; 
Hagg. 1.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  consider your ways, ye have sown much, and bring in little, ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways, go up to the Mountain, and bring Wood and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord, &c. Read also, Verse 9, 10, 11.  
2. Consider what Mordecai said unto Esther. 
Esth. 11. 13, 14, 15.  Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the King's house, more than all the Jews, for if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement, and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; But thou and thy father's House shall be destroyed. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom, for such a time as this? As Jerome said concerning the day of judgement. That whether he did eat, or drink, or whatsoever he did, he did always hear the voice of the archangel, Arise ye dead, and come to judgement. So do I desire that you would at all times, and in all places, remember and consider this soul-awakening speech of Mordecai and Esther.  
3. Consider the famous examples of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel, what care and pains they took for the rebuilding, not only of the Walls, but also of the Temple of Jerusalem. It is not enough to set the State in tune, but you must remember to repair the Temple also. Be not afraid of Tobiah, Sanballat, or of any other enemy. 
Zach. 4 7.  Who art thou O great Mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. A Parliament-man must be like Athanasius, who was Magnes & Adamas. A Loadstone, and an Adamant. A Loadstone by his affable carriage, and courteous behaviour, drawing all men to the love of him. But in the cause of God he was as an Adamant, untameable and unconquerable.  
4. If we reform and turn, God will turn; If we turn from the evil of our sins God will turn from the evil of his judgements. Tertullian speaks of himself, 
Tect. de penitent.  That he was born to nothing else but to Repentance. An excellent saying for every one to lay to heart. The first Text that ever John Baptist preached on, was Repentance. 
Matth. 3. ●.  The first that ever Christ preached on, was Repentance. And the first thing that Christ commanded his Apostles to preach, was Repentance. 
Mat. 4. 17.  God himself hath consecrated Repentance, 
Luk. 24. 47.  by his own example, saith Tertullian, 
Tertul. de poenit.  Dedicavit poenitentiam in semetipso. He repenteth to teach us to repent. This is that which God not only commands, and entreateth, 
Ezek. 18.  but sweareth that he would have us to do. Happy we for whose sake God swears, 
Tertull  but most unhappy if we believe not God when he swears, and if we live not as we believe.  
Will a national reformation certainly divert God's judgements from a Nation? 
Quest.  Did not Josiah reform, and yet it is expressly said, That notwithstanding this Reformation, 
2 King. 23. 26.  Yet the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasses had provoked him withal.  
1. A national reformation will certainly deliver us from everlasting misery. 
Answ.  2. It is God's ordinary way for the removal of temporal judgements. There is no instance fully against it, but this of Josiah: but to this it may be replied, that Josiah's reformation in reference to the multitude, was hypocritical; and therefore it did only prorogue and adjourn; but not totally remove God's wrath. That it was so in regard of the people, appears, Ierem. 3. 10. And yet for all this, her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord. A sincere national turning will certainly divert national Judgements, and procure national Blessings.  

5.  If we will not turn, reform, and repent of our sins, God will repent with a new kind of repentance, he will not repent of the evil, but repent that he hath repented of the evil; he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit us. And this leads me to the fourth doctrinal Conclusion.  
Doctrine 4. 
Doct. 4.   
That when God begins to build and plant a Nation; if that Nation do evil in God's sight, God will unbuild, pluck up, and repent of the good he intended to do unto it. This is a point of great concernment, expressly set down in the tenth verse. It is certain that God hath begun to build and plant this Nation, and he hath made you his Instruments (Right Honourable) in this great work. We read, Zechary 1.19. of four horns, which scattered Judah and Jerusalem. By these four horns, are meant all the enemies of God's people, that are always pushing at them, and goring of them. And verse 20, we read of four Carpenters whom God raised up to fray away these horns. Such Carpenters have you been unto us: You have knocked off all those horns wherewith the fat bulls of Bashan pushed at us: You have endeavoured to underprop the House of this Kingdom, and to keep it from falling: You have stubbed up many unprofitable Trees, and taken away (at least, in your endeavours) many rotten posts: you have removed a great deal of rubbish: You have been our Ebedmelech's, to release our Jeremy's out of the Dungeon. Indeed you have done marvellous things, blessed be the Name of the Lord! And we have cause to be enlarged in much thankfulness, though you never have opportunity to do more for us. Ezra blessed God that had given them a little reviving in their bondage. 
Ezra 9 8.  A man that hath been for many years in a dark Dungeon, will rejoice exceedingly for a little crevice of light, though never so little. We have been in the Dungeon of despair, and we bless God for the little crevice of light let in by your means. We have lain among the pots (inter ollas fuliginosas) sullied with filth; 
Psa. 68.13.  and there is a crevice of hope (in the Valley of Achor) that we shall be as the wings of a Dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. And though this child of hope be but yet an embryo; 
Zac. 4.10.  We will not despise the day of little things. 
Ezra 10. 11.  When Ezra had laid the foundation of the Temple, there was great joy and rejoicing. We doubt not but there is a foundation laid of better times, and such a foundation which shall never be taken away. The Lord recompense all the pains you have taken, upon you and yours. And yet let me add one word as a parenthesis; 
Nehe. 12.22.  that Nehemiah after all his good services he had done for the Church, subjoins these words. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and spare me; he begs pardon for his noble work of Reformation. Blessed be God here is hope of a fair building, and of a most beautiful Paradise, if things succeed as they have begun.  
But now mark the Doctrine. When God begins to build, and plant, if that Nation do evil, God will un-build what he hath built, pluck up what he hath planted, He will repent of the good, &c. For you must know, that God repents as well of his mercies, as of his judgements. When God had made Saul King, and he proved stubborn and disobedient, God repented that ever he made him King. When God saw that the wickedness of the old World was great upon earth, 
Gene. 6.  He was grieved at the very heart, 
2 Sam. 6.  and repented that ever he made man. When David was bringing home the ark with great pomp, because it was not brought home in due order; and because of Vzzah's sin, God repented of what he was doing, and the ark stayed in the middle way. When the people of Israel were come out of Egypt, and very near Canaan; because they brought an evil report upon the Land of Canaan, and murmured, The Lord repents of what he had done, and carries them back again forty years' journey through the vast howling wilderness.  
Reason. 
Reason.   
1. Because God's Covenant with a nation is conditional. It is quamdiu se benè gesserit. If that Nation obey my voice, then will I build it and plant it: but if it disobey my voice, then will I pluck it up, pull it down, and destroy it. The Lord is with you, 
2 Chron. 15 2.  while ye be with him: and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 
1 Sam. 12.23.  If you do wickedly, you shall perish, both you and your King.  
2. Because that sin is so pernicious to a that where sin rules, there God and his mercy will not abide. Sin takes away the favour of God, by which all Nations subsist. And if God's favour be gone, all is gone. Sin dissolves the very joints and Sinews of a Nation; Religion maintains and upholds Kingdoms. The Trojans had their Palladium; as long as that was safe, they were safe. The Romans had their Ancile; as long as that was kept, they were secure. The Israelites had their Ark; as long as that was sure, there was a defence upon Mount Zion. Pure and undefiled Religion, is the Palladium, the Ancile, the Ark, to preserve Kingdoms. But sin betrayeth Religion into the hands of superstition and idolatry. Sin is a Serpent in the bosom, a thief in the house, poison at the stomach, a sword at the very heart of a Nation. If the Serpent be in the bosom, it will bite; if a thief in the house, he will steal; if poison in the stomach, it will pain us; if a sword at the heart, it will kill us. 
use.  Use.  
Hence we may learn what the reason is of the great delay in the Reformation of the Church; why the child of Reformation sticks in the Birth; why the hand of mercy begins to be pulled in; and why many observers of the times begin to fear that this is not, as yet, the appointed time wherein God will have mercy upon Zion. I am very confident, that the fault is not in you to whom I speak; but it is laid down, 2 Chron. 20. 33. Howbeit the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers. The people of the Land would not bear a thorough Reformation. I deny not but that the Land in which we live is a Land of uprightness. 
Ef. 26.  As many amongst us truly religious, as in any place in the world, of the like bigness. But yet the Bulk of our people are wicked, and their hearts are not as yet prepared to the yoke of the Lord. Oderunt vincula pietatis. They are unreformed themselves; and it is no wonder they are so opposite to a thorough Reformation. It may be said of many amongst us, as Jeremy did once say of his people, The Prophets prophesy falsely, 
Ier. 5. 31.  and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof? Now it is this sin of the Land that weakens your hands, and divides you sometimes one from another, and keeps you from perfecting this great work of Reformation. And I conceive no way better to remedy this, than by sending a faithful and painful ministry throughout the Kingdom. For if you will be pleased to observe, you will find that those places which are rudest and most ignorant, most irregular; and where the least Preaching hath been, are the greatest enemies to Reformation. This is a work worth, of serious consideration. The Lord stir up your hearts to consider it, and open your eyes also, clearly to perceive that there are more with you, then against you; and that when God reforms a Nation, he doth not find us prepared, but he makes us prepared. When God showeth mercy to a Nation, there goeth power with the mercy to heal the Nation, Ezek. 36. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.  
If when a Nation doth evil in God's sight, 
use 2.  God will repent of the good he intended, &c. Let us repent of our evils committed against God, that he may not repent of the good he intends to do unto us. Choose which you will, If we repent, God will repent of the evil, &c. If we repent not, God will repent of the good, &c. And suffer me to tell you. That when God begins to draw back his mercies from a Nation, that Nation is in a woeful plight, God repented that he made the old World; And what followed? The next news you hear, is, they were all drowned. He repented that he had made Saul King, and the next news we hear, is, That he was rejected from being King. He repented that he had brought the Israelites out of Egypt; and thereupon he carries them back again, and swears that not one of them should enter into Canaan, but that all their carcases should perish in the wilderness. It is God only that can build and plant a Nation. He is the only Architect that can build our waste places, and make up our dilapidations, though never so great; he is the only gardener to pluck up our Weeds, and to plant useful and fruitful Trees in the Orchard of this Nation. And if he please he can do it, and that in an instant with a word speaking. For so it is in the Text, At what instant I speak concerning a Nation to build, and to plant it; Though the House of the Kingdom be never so much out of repair, God can in an instant build us, and plant us, and make us better than ever. But if God begin to repent of what he hath done, woe to the Nation, 
Psa. 1: 7 1.  For except the Lord build the House, they labour in vain that build it, in vain to rise up early, and to sit up late, &c. God will unravel all, and though he hath brought us near Canaan, he will carry us back again, and make us to tarry forty years for a Reformation, or it may be he will at last carry us back again to Egypt, which was the last and greatest curse, 
Deut. 28 68  threatened against the people of Israel, and it is the greatest misery that can come upon this Nation.  
But on the contrary, if we turn from our evil ways, God will perfect his building, and finish his plantation, he will make us a glorious Paradise, an habitation fit for himself to dwell in; he will set up his ordinances after a purer manner, and watch over us for good from the beginning of the year to the end of it. Oh that these words of mine might be as goads, and as nails to fasten this point upon your hearts, that it may take deep impression, and abide for ever upon your spirits. It may be some will say, That this doctrine is as common as the highway: It is true, It is a common high way, but it is the high way to heaven. And though it be not a Doctrine to glut your ears, yet it is savoury meat, such as Jacob provided for Esau, whereby he obtained the blessing. Turn or burn for ever in Hell. Let every man labour first to turn himself, and then let us endeavour to reform one another. There is a great complaint in the Kingdom. The Ministers complain of their people, that they are factious, seditious, covetous, disrespectful of the ministry, &c. And that because they do not reform; therefore the judgements of God are not turned away from us. The people complain of their Ministers, that they are dumb dogs, greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and that they are superstitious, more for pomp then substance; and that until the scandalous Ministers be removed, God's heavy hand will never be removed from us. The rich complain of the poor, that they are lazy, and thievish, The poor of the rich, that they are proud and hard-hearted. The superiors cry out against their inferiors, and the inferiors against the superiors. And because every man expects when his neighbour should turn, hence it cometh to pass that no man in particular turns. We look for that in another, which we forget to do in ourselves. I know no way to reconcile this division, but by raising a new division, and by persuading all sorts of people to strive, who should be the first in turning to God, who should first get into Christ, who should first get into the Ark. Every man strives for worldly precedency. Oh let us strive for this spiritual precedency! It is no pride in this to go one before another. He is the humblest that goeth first. And being reformed in our own persons, let us in the next place labour to reform one another. We are all of one nation, of one body, one flesh, one Church. There is a national Communion, a moral Communion, a political Communion, a spiritual Communion amongst us. I may add, There is a Communion in misery. We are all in the same condemnation. Let us labour to pity one another, and to turn one another. Let every man search what drunkard, what swearer, what adulterer, &c. He hath in his House, and either cause the sin to depart from the person, or both sin and person from his house.  
First reform your own families, and then you will be the fitter to reform the family of God. Let the Master reform his servant, the Father his child, the Husband his Wife. Will a man keep a servant in his house all night, if he were assured he would murder him before morning? Such a servant is sin, It will murder soul and body. Let us cast it away from ourselves, and from our families.  
There is one Motive more, and that is from the aid you are sending to Ireland, to distressed Ireland, that at this instant calls to England with aloud cry for help and assistance. I doubt not, but you are sensible that delay is as bad as denial almost. I shall offer only one Text to be considered on when you send forth your help, and that is Deut. 23. 9 When the Host goeth forth against their enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. If sin be in the Host, it will make you turn your backs upon your enemies; Turn to God, and he will make your enemies turn their backs upon you.  
But it is not in my power to turn, 
Object.  unless I were praedestinated?  
I answer with Master Bradford, that we must first go to the grammar-school of Repentance, 
Answ.  before we can be admitted to the University of predestination. It is not a dispute about predestination that will turn away God's wrath, but it is the practice of humiliation and Reformation. It is most certain, that God is not the cause of any man's damnation. He found us sinners in Adam, but made none sinners. Thy perdition is of thyself, oh Israel! And it is as certain, that it is not in the power of man by nature to convert himself. And that therefore God commands what we cannot perform, that we might thereby take notice what we should do, and what we once could do in Adam, and where we should go to get power to do that which we cannot do of ourselves. Go to the Word, that hath a creating power. God oftentimes in speaking gives power. Go to prayer, for converting Grace. Pray with Austin, Lord give me what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. It is an excellent rule observed by the same Author. That there is nothing required of us from God as a duty in Scripture, but it is either promised by God as a gift, or some of God's Saints have prayed for it as a gift. As for example. God commands us to turn unto him, but Jeremy prays for it; Turn us, oh Lord, and we shall be turned. And God promiseth it, Deut. 30. 6. Ezek. 36. 26. Let us therefore be sensible of our inability to keep the commandment of the text; and let us believe in his promise, to give us power to keep it, and pray for the performance of his promise.  
FINIS.