A SERMON Preached before the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord Mayor, And COURT of ALDERMEN, AT St. MARY le BOW, Upon the 21 th'. of November, 1675. By WILLIAM DURHAM, B. D. Rector of St. Mildred's Breadstreet, London. LONDON, Printed by T. R. for Edward Gellibrand, at the sign of the Golden-Ball in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1676. Imprimatur, Gul. Jane, Reverendo in Christo Patri ac D no. D no. Henrico Episcopo Lond. à sacris domesticis. Jan. 13. 1675. To the Right Honourable Sr. JOSEPH SHELDON, Lord MAYOR of LONDON, AND To the Right Honourable The Court of Aldermen, WITH THE SHERIFFS. MY LORD, IN compliance with your Lordship's desire, which with me hath the force of Command, this Sermon was preached, and is now made public in pursuance of an Order of that Honourable Court, to which I am obliged, and ready to yield my most cheerful obedience. I am not so great a Flatterer of myself, as to think this hasty and unpolisht discourse deserves the honour You have put upon it: yet, I dare not so far distrust Your judgements, as not to think that it may be suitable and serviceable to the Times we live in. A Generation who seem to make it their business to elude all the Methods of Divine Providence, and to baffle all those various Means, which God is pleased to use for their amendment: Who are neither melted by his Mercies, nor humbled by his Judgements. To obviate which great and growing Evils, I made choice of this Argument to treat on. The subject matter whereof is weighty and momentous; and, as it deserved an abler hand to set it off: so it challenges the most serious attention from the greatest Persons. What it loseth by the weak management of the Argument must be put upon my account, who, to prevent the censures of others, think meanlier of it than any man else can do. Such as it is, it humbly offers itself to Your favourable acceptance: not doubting but it shall find some countenance from them, who have brought it into public view. I have only two requests to make, and I have done. One to God; that he would accompany it with his Blessing, that it may be in some measure effectual toward the cure of that great Evil it complains of: The other is to Your Lordship, and that Honourable Court, that Your charity would accept of my good intentions, and that Your Justice would make some proportionable allowance for the Infirmities of age, and very short warning. In the acknowledgement of which Favours, I shall not cease to implore the Throne of Grace, that God would be pleased to continue Propitious to this great City, to the Governors and Government thereof: that all heats and animosities may be laid aside, divisions healed, breaches made up: that all the Members of this Great Body may be as men of one mind in an house, and study and endeavour to promote the public good, without respect to private advantages: which is the most probable means, to make and continue it a flourishing and a happy City. Which is the hearty and daily prayer of, My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble Servant, William Durham. January the 17th. 1675/6. A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen, at St. Marry le Bow, upon the 21st. of November, 1675. PROV. XXIX. 1. He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. I Shall not keep you too long, by a needless preface, at the door of the Text: nor engage myself in a fruitless enquiry after the coherence of these with the foregoing words. A task which some have undertaken in reference to this whole Book of Proverbs; but with no better success, than if they had sought for dependence between Bede's Axioms, or looked for connexion in a Rope of Sand. The words are an entire Proposition, and resolve themselves into these three parts. 1. Here is a subject, or person spoken of; One that hath been often reproved. 2. A sin which he is supposed guilty of, He hardens his neck. 3. The punishment which is threatened for this sin; He shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. For our more orderly proceeding, I shall first open these three things as they are here proposed; secondly, confirm the main Proposition, and then apply all in a few words. I. He that being often reproved.] Vir Increpationum, a man of Reproofs; 'tis a familiar Hebraism, and is interpreted sometimes in an Active, sometimes in a Passive sense. Actively; Thus Shimei falsely calls David a Man 2 Sam 16. 5, 7. of Bloods, one that had a bloody mind, a bloody hand, and had (like Manasses) shed innocent blood very much. And so some take it here in an active sense; A man of Reproofs is one (in this construction) who by occasion of his place and office, or by his voluntary undertaking is much and severe in reproving others, and in the mean space hardens his own neck, and continues in the same or such like sins which he reproves in others. He that preaches another should not steal, and himself commits Rom. 2. 21, 22, etc. sacrilege, which is the worst of theft. He that reproves another for fornication, and himself commits that, or incest, which is the highest degree of uncleanness; as Judah did Thamar. He that is severe Gen. 38. 24, etc. toward others, in that wherein he indulgeth himself; This Person is a seared Hypocrite, who goes against the light of his own Conscience; he proclaims judgement against himself; when he hath preached to others, shall himself become a Castaway. He shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. But others generally take the words Passively; as, a Man of Desires, i. e. one greatly beloved: So Dan. 10. 11. a Man of Reproofs is one who deserves to be reproved, and hath often been reproved for his faults. In this sense he is called Vir mortis, a man of Death who deserves to die. Now, a Man may be reproved either Inwardly or Outwardly. 1. Inwardly, by the checks of Conscience, which is God's Deputy and Register within us to take notice of, record, and rebuke us for our faults. When we transgress the Law of God, a Copy whereof is written in our hearts, Conscience recoils, flies in a Sinner's face, and reproves him for what he hath done amiss. Thus Joseph's Brethren Gen. 42. 21. were rebuked by their own Consciences, which brought to mind the ill usage of their Brother, And those Jews who brought to Christ the woman Joh. 8. 9 taken in Adultery, being convinced in their own Consciences by our Saviour's answer, withdrew themselves and their Indictment. 2. Outwardly; and that two ways, either by Word or Deed. By Word, and that is either Private or Public. 1. Private reproof, is that which is managed by one private person toward another. A duty enjoined in the Law, Thou shalt not hate thy Neighbour in thy Leu. 19 17. heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Brother, and not suffer sin to rest upon him. And in the Gospel, If thy Brother offend, tell him his fault between thee and him: Matt. 1● 15. And again the Apostle, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them rather. A Duty, if well managed, which would bring much glory to God, much advantage to our Brethren, and much comfort to ourselves; for he that rebuketh a Prov. 28. 23. man, afterward shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue. 2. Public reproof is in the ministry of the Word. The Word of God is not only for instruction, 2 Tim. 3. 16. but for correction and reproof: And those to whom the management of it is committed, are such as reprove in the Gate. The Prophets of old declared their Messages from God in the Gates of Is. 29. 21. the City or Temple, because there was the greatest concourse of People. Thus God did testify against Israel by his Prophets, and doth against us by the Public Ministry every day. 2. Outwardly, by Deed; God's Rod is a speaking Rod, it hath a voice, and every stroke is a reproof. The Rod and Reproof go together, and both teach wisdom. His corrections are intended for our instruction and imbetterment. The word which is here rendered Reproofs, signifies Real as well as Verbal reproofs: not only the reproofs and reprehension of the tongue, but also the chastisements and strokes of God's hand. Vir increpationum, a Man of Reproofs is one qui increpatur malis & molestiis à Deo missis, ut viam suam, i. e. depravatos suos mores, aut opinionem suam malam deserat: When God throws crosses and troubles in our ways, hedgeth up our ways with thorns, brings trouble on our loins, feeds us with the bread of affliction, and water of affliction; these are his Real reproofs whereby he would take us from our corrupt opinions, or licentious practices. In this sense Balaam was a Man of Reproofs, when the Numb. 22. Dumb Ass speaking with Man's voice rebuked the madness of the Prophet, and yet he hardened himself 2 Pet. 2. 16. in his evil way. A man of Reproofs than is he who being often rebuked, either by the checks of his own Conscience, or by the mouth of private Friends, by the Public Minister or Magistrate; whom God chastiseth and scourgeth with Crosses for his amendment, but he reputes not, amends not, but goes on still and hardens his neck; which is the second thing to be opened. II. Hardens his neck;] The word here put for Neck is the hindermost and bony part of the neck, which consists ex vertebratis ossibus, ut faciliùs huc & illuc obvertatur: The Neck is not made of one continued bone, as the Leg or Arm; but there are several smaller bones so jointed one upon another, as may serve for the more easy turning of it any way as occasion is offered. And from hence, Man being made with a pliable and yielding neck, those who are intractable and contumacious, who will not be turned from their evil resolutions and practices, are in Scripture usually termed Duri cervice, hard of stiffnecked. Or 'tis a Metaphor taken from such Beasts, whose great strength lieth in their Necks; as the Horse, Hast thou given the Horse strength? hast thou clothed Job. 39 19 his neck with Thunder? and the Leviathan, in whose 41. 22. neck remaineth strength, and who is so terrible that none can tame him. Hence the phrase is used in Scripture to describe a person or people that is stubborn, obstinate, immorigerous and rebellious. Ephraim is a Heifer unaccustomed to the yoke, that would not yield her neck to Jer. 31. 18. discipline. The Sons of Belial, by whom God sets out the worst of Sinners, have their name from hence, that they will not submit their necks to any yoke of government, but would do only that which was good in their own eyes. This is set out elsewhere in other words to the same sense; thou art obstinate, thy neck is an iron sinew, Is. 48. 4. and thy brow is as brass. A brow of brass that Jer. 5 3. could not blush, and an iron sinew that could not bend Hence we read of rocky-faces, stony-hearts, Ezek. 36. 26. Acts 7. 51. and stiff-hearted. Now a man is said to harden his neck as he is said to harden his heart, 'tis all one and the same thing: And where these two phrases are put together, one is only exegetical and explains the other. For the understanding whereof we must know, that 1. There is a natural hardness in the heart of every man. Every child of Adam is born with a stone in his heart, the taking of which away is a Ezek 36 26. part of God's Covenant with man in Christ. 2. There is an adventitious hardness, which a man adds to that of his Nature. As he who labours hard, makes his hand every day more callous and brawny than it was before, so 'tis in this case, Custom in sin makes the Conscience more brawny and insensible of sin. Besides the Natural obligation which lies upon every man, God hath given them positive Laws to enforce their obedience to him: He hath given them some abilities to perform what he requires; he hath backed his Commandments both with Promises and Threaten so far, that he may justly expect compliance with his Command. But no sooner doth the Devil solicit, but man inclines rather to what he suggests, than to what God enjoins. He sins voluntarily and persisteth in it obstinately, notwithstanding all the exhortations, promises, threaten of God to the contrary. This is properly to harden a man's heart: A pregnant instance whereof we have in Jeremy, As for the word which thou hast spoken we will not do it; but we Jer. 44. 5. 16, 17. will certainly do whatsoever proceeds out of our own mouth. But the most remarkable instance of this sin is in Pharaoh, who notwithstanding all that Moses Exod. chap. 8, 9, 10. could say or do in the name of the Lord, hardened his heart still, and became worse and worse. 3. There is a Judicial hardness. When man goes on thus stubbornly to harden his own heart, God comes in as a righteous Judge and hardens it finally: the former is man's own sin, the latter is his just punishment. When men like not to retain God in their knowledge, he justly gives them up to a hard heart and a reprobate mind, which is a spiritual judgement, and one of the severest that can be inflicted in this life. Now God may be said to harden man's heart two ways. 1. Privatively, by withholding that grace which is necessary to soften it. So St. Austin often; God hardens the heart, non infundendo malitiam, sed subtrahendo gratiam; not by infusing any evil into it, but by withholding the influences of that grace, which is necessary to make it willing and pliable. And again, Deus dicitur excaecari, quando non illuminat, indurare quando non emollit; God is said to blind those whom he doth not enlighten, and to harden those whom he doth not soften. 2. Positively; if we may so interpret those Scriptures wherein it is positively said, that God did harden the heart of Pharaoh, and others. For the thing, it is not questionable; but for the manner how, I dare not be too positive in determining. Sure it can be by Accident only; for most certain it is, that God is the Author of no man's sin. It may be (perhaps) thus; God gives him Commands which are holy, just and good, but these he peremptorily violates: he plies him with Exhortations, which he despises; gives him gracious Promises, which he neglects and disbelieves; denounces Threaten, which he slights and contemns; bestows many Mercies on him, which he abuseth: by all which, God being highly provoked, delivers him into the hand of Satan his Executioner, to harden him finally and judicially. When man thus hardens his own heart sinfully, God steps in and hardens it judicially, and then the Judgement threatened is at hand; which is the third thing to be opened. III. He shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy;] In which I shall only point out these three things, which we shall have occasion again by and by to speak to. 1. Here is the severity of the punishment; 'tis not chastisement for our amendment, but destruction: He shall be destroyed. 2. The celerity and speediness, and unexpectedness of it; it shall be done suddenly. 3. The certainty and unavoidableness of it; it shall be without remedy. So I have done with the first thing proposed; and opened those three material things contained in the Text. The ground being thus cleared, and the foundation laid, it will be no difficult thing to confirm the main Propostion; which was the next thing in order to be done, namely, He that being thus often reproved, thus hardens his neck, shall suddenly and certainly perish: Destruction treads upon the heels of obstinate and incorrigible Sinners. Which Proposition, though it be clear enough by its own light, yet may receive farther evidence from other Scriptures. There was a time when the people of Israel and Judah provoked God by serving Idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, ye shall not do this thing. The Lord testified against them by all his Prophets and 2 Kings. 17. 13. Seers, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my Commandments; but they would not hear, but hardened ●●v. 14, 15, 16. their necks and rejected his statutes, till the Lord was so angry that he removed them out of his sight. Again, God reproves them for breaking his Sabbaths, and admonishes them for the future to keep them better: but they obeyed not, but stiffened their necks, that they Jer. 17. 22. might not hear nor receive instruction, which provoked God to send a fire amongst them which could not be quenched. Want we more instances of this? Pharaoh may stand for all. How often doth God reprove him by Moses' mouth? How often correct him by Moses' hand? How often doth he promise to submit, and as often rebels? till at last God swallowed him up in the Red Sea. So in Noah's, and in Lot's time. Nor need we wonder at God's severity towards them who harden their necks against Reproofs, when we consider the manifold and great aggravations of this sin. 1. It is a sin against knowledge, which makes it so much the greater. Conviction goes before reproof, Ere we can justly reprove a man for any fault, we must convince him of two things; first, that the thing we speak against is a sin; next, that he is guilty of it; if we fail in either of these, we cannot fasten a reproof. The Word of God, which is the tool we must work withal in this business, is for instruction and conviction, as well as for exhortation and reproof: But he that is convinced that his ways are bad, and yet will pursue them, goes against his own light, and is in a greater measure guilty. He that knows his Master's will and doth it not, shall be Luk. 12. 47. beaten with more stripes. 2. 'Tis a sin against mercy. Reproof is an act of love; a man reproves not him whom he doth not regard: 'Tis the greatest act of love, and the truest expression of kindness, to tell us of our faults; hence we read, Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart by letting sin to rest upon him; but thou shalt in Levit. 19 17. any wise rebuke thy Neighbour. If not to reprove be to hate, then to reprove must be an act of love and mercy. God loves whom he chastiseth, and reproves them in this World, that they may not perish with it. There's honey in the top of his rod; mercy in all his rebukes: the greater is the sin which is committed against so rich mercy. 3. 'Tis a sin against the means, which God hath appointed for our salvation. His corrections are intended for our instruction; the rod and reproof are to give wisdom; Reprove one that hath understanding, Prov. 19 25. and he will understand knowledge. By all which we see, that Reproof is a means intended by God to bring us to the knowledge and practice of our Duties. When the sick Patient sputters up his physic into the face of his Physician, his case is desperate; when we reject that which alone would cure us, we must needs perish. 4. 'Tis a sin made up of such ugly ingredients, that it cannot but be odious unto God. 1. The first ingredient that goes to the making up of this sin is Pride; than which nothing can be more odious to God or Man; which is clear from that of Nehemiah; Our Fathers dealt proudly, Nehem. 9 16, and hardened their necks, and harkened not to thy Commandment: And again, Thou didst testify against them 29. to bring them to thy Law, but they dealt proudly, withdrew the shoulder, hardened their necks, and would not hear. The next is, 2. Contempt and Scorn, than which nothing provokes more. This sort of Sinners is like the Leviathan, who slights all the Artillery that is brought against him. He esteemeth Iron as a straw, and Brass Job 41. 27. as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him fly, slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are accounted as stubble, and he laughs at the shaking of the spear. So he, who being often reproved, hardens his neck; God frowns, chides, strikes; he cares not, but goes on still. 3. Obctinacy and resolvedness in sin; as in those in Jeremy, What thou commandest us we will not do, but we will do whatsoever is good in our own eyes. Jer. 44. 17. 4. Lastly, there's a sad train which always attends at the heels on't; when men are come to this, what will they stick at? In that place before mentioned, when they had once hardened their necks, it follows, they became vain and followed after vanity; they joined themselves with the Heathens, made molten Images, made a Grove, and worshipped the Host of heaven; they served Baal, and made their Sons and Daughters pass through the fire to Devils; and what not? Indeed, it dethrones that Reason which should have the empire of the Soul, and sets up Lust and Sensuality in its room; for as Solomon says, He that hateth reproof is brutish. Prov. 12. 1. And when the sin is so great, no wonder that the punishment is great too. God is a God of Justice, and by him actions are weighed, he measures out punishment proportionable to the offence. Concerning this Judgement here threatened we had three things (as I noted) observable in the words. 1. The severity of it, He shall be destroyed;] When we find God threatening this Sin, he speaks at another rate than in other cases. The fifth Chapter of Jeremy is full of such expressions; A Lion out of Jer. 5. 6. the forest shall slay them, a Wolf of the evening shall devour them, and a Leopard shall watch over their Cities, every one that goes out shall be torn in pieces: what can be imagined more dreadful? When God had smitten Israel with blasting and drought, with famine, sword, and pestilence, but they returned not; then says God, thus and thus will I do unto thee, Amos 4. 12. as if he wanted words to express the greatness of his wrath, thus and thus will I do, i. e. be fierce beyond all expression. God's Reproofs are to humble us, and to bring us to himself by true repentance; but if these do it not, he brings a final Judgement to our utter destruction. He charges us first with his small Artillery, but if that reduceth us not to our obedience, he falls upon us with his main Battalia. When entreaties, threaten and corrections will do no good upon the Child, than the Father proceeds to disinherit him. When plasters and sear will not heal the wound, the Chirurgeon proceeds to amputation. When pruning and soiling will not make the Tree fruitful, than the Axe is laid unto the root of it. When reproofs are cast away, and chastisements mend us not, than destructions come to end us. When men's hearts grow hard and impenitent under judgements, they treasure up wrath 2 Thes. 1. 9 against the day of wrath, and procure sudden destruction from the presence of the Lord; which falls nothing short of the conteretur in the Text, He shall be destroyed. 2. Here's the celerity or speediness of the Judgement, He shall be destroyed suddenly, when 'tis least thought on, or expected. Though God be long ere he set forth to slay the impenitent and obdurate Sinner, yet when he comes he comes apace. He is full of Patience, but patience abused turns to fury. He is not slack, as men count slackness: but will come upon eagle's wings; with such speed as none Hos. 8. 1. can fly from, and with such strength as none can resist. He had born long with the old World, and had reproved them one hundred and twenty years by Noah's preaching; every stroke in making the Ark reproved and called them to repentance; but Patience being tired, then, the same day that Noah entered Gen. 7. 11. into the Ark, all the windows of heaven were opened, and the waters gushed out to the ruin of the World. When neither awe of God's Majesty, nor the Counsels, Reproofs, nor Example of righteous Lot could work upon the Sodomites, than God comes Gen 19 23, 29. suddenly with a tempest of fire and brimstone: The Sun risen gloriously upon them, but it was attended with an everlasting night. This sudden and unexpected wrath is set out by the breach of a Wall that is ready to fall, which Isai. 30. 12, 13. copes and catches a man ere he be ware, and crushes him to pieces. Sometimes 'tis resembled to a Whirlwind, which comes on a sudden and carries all before it. Hence Jer. 23. 19 that of Solomon, He that is perverse in his ways shall Prov. 28. 18. fall at once, i. e. certò cadet, he shall certainly fall; subitò cadet, he shall fall suddenly, in an hour when he lest expects it; and, undiquàque cadet, he shall utterly fall in all his concernments, and be utterly destroyed. 3. Here is the certainty and unavoidableness of the Judgement, there shall be no remedy. He shall be destroyed, and all remedies shall come too late. God hath said it, who is truth, and cannot lie; who never yet broke his word, either in promse, or threatening. There is a time, when diseases and wounds may be cured; which, if let run too long, no plasters or medicines can do them good. There is a time, when God will be found of us, be ready to receive and save us: but if we stand out beyond our day, Repentance will be hid from his eyes. There was a time when Esau sought Heb. 12. 17. his Birthright with tears, but could not find it. Thus dealt God with such as despised his Prophets, and their Reproofs, the wrath of God came upon them till there was no remedy. Calamity 2 Chro. 26. 16. shall come suddenly upon the froward (saith Solomon) suddenly shall they be broken, and that Prov. 6. 15. without remedy. There's nothing can shore up those, whose incorrigibleness provokes God to come forth for their destruction. No Policy of man can decline him, no power can resist him. There's no Remedy of power or force against him. Will ye provoke the Lord to jealousy? are ye stronger than he? No weapon that's form against him shall prosper. He takes away and none can hinder him: Who can say unto him, what Job 9 12. dost thou? There is no Remedy to appease him, for he forbids prayer in such a case for them. Pray not for this People (saith God to Jeremy) nor lift up a Prayer Jer. 7. 16. for them, nor make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee. Nay, though Moses and Samuel stood before me, who were so prevalent in prayer, yet my mind could not be toward this People; cast them out of Jer. 15. 1. my sight, and let them go. And what can be expected, when God will be no more entreated, but utter ruin and destruction? Thus far have I gone in opening the Doctrinal part of the Text, and shown you the miserable condition of an immorigerous, obstinate, incorrigible Sinner. There's nothing now remains, but to make some short reflections upon what hath been said by way of Application, and I have done. And this I shall briefly dispatch by proposing these four Queries, to which (I beseech you) let your Consciences make an impartial answer. 1. Whether we of this place and generation be not Men of Reproofs? Whether have not we been often reproved for our sins? 2. Whether we have been amended by those Reproofs? or, whether we have hardened our necks against them? 3. If the latter of these appear; whether we have not just cause to expect the judgement threatened in the Text? 4. What way is yet left to escape so great destruction? 1. Whether we of this place and Age have not been Men of Reproofs? For the reproofs and checks of Conscience, and the private personal rebukes of Friends, every man can best and only judge for himself, what he hath had. But as for those which have been more Public, whether verbal or real, the thing is so evident that 'tis past denial, we have had our reproofs. 1. For verbal Reproofs; Reproof (as you have heard) is one main end and use for which the Holy Scripture was given by God. And there is no Nation under heaven, where the Word of God hath been more purely, powerfully, constantly preached, than in this Nation, this City. We have been (as Goshen) a place of Light, when almost all the World hath sat in darkness. It's now one hundred and fifty years since the light of the glorious Gospel hath shone out amongst us more clearly than in most other places, and great hath been the company of Preachers. Men not of Ordinary rank, but so many Apollo's, mighty in the Scripture. Who have performed the Office of faithful Watchmen, to tell you of your sins, and warn you of your danger. Men, who, according to the abundant Grace of God given to them, have laid Judgement to the line, and Righteousness to the plummet. Who have neither sewed pillows under your arms, nor daubed with untempered Mortar. I need not name them to you, nor the series of time wherein they lived; you remember some, you have heard of the rest. So that if this place be destroyed, 'tis not for the want of knowledge; I am sure, not for the want of the means of knowledge. They have rather surfeited and waxed wanton, than suffered a famine of the Word of Grace, or of any thing needful to salvation. 2. And for Real reproofs, whereby God hath testified against us his displeasure for our sins, that he might bring us to repentance, we have not been altogether without them neither. I shall instance only in two, which may be yet fresh in our memories: such as our Predecessors never felt, and may those who shall come after us never feel the like! I mean the last consuming Plague, and the late dreadful Fire. And, because too many amongst us live, as if they had never seen, or not observed, these dreadful Judgements; afford me your patience, while I give you a short representation of both; that so upon serious thoughts, you may learn Righteousness by the things which you have suffered. Of the Plague first. When Death mounted upon his pale Horse, road in triumph through your streets, and spared neither age, sex, nor condition. When the highways to this Great City, were (as in the days of Shamgar) unoccupied, and none (that could well avoid Judg. 5. 6. it) cared to come within the sight or scent of it. When the widest streets were but thinly peopled; and many, of those few you met, carried death in their faces. When a man's breath was abhorred by his nearest Relations, and those of his most intimate Acquaintance hid themselves from him. When the Air itself became infectious, and that, without which we could not live, conveyed death into our bosoms. When the sorrows of the dying Husband were increased by the groans of his departing Wife, and both aggravated by the cries of their languishing Children. When the hungry Infant crawled to the sick Mother's breast, and sucked poison instead of nourishment. When your ears were filled, all the day, with the noise of passing-Bells, and all night with the doleful tone of those who called for them to burial. When the sad Parents were put to the ungrateful task of being the winders, bearers, buriers of their own Children. When the innocent sheep were committed to the ravenous wolf; sick people to the keeping of cruel, rapacious, and unsatiable Nurses, who were often ('tis to be feared) more cruel to them than their diseases; and murdered those, whom their diseases might have spared. When Death fished with his largest Net, that had the smallest meshes, and spared not the minues, the Infants of a span long. When every day added such a number to the dead, as swelled the weekly Bills beyond all Precedents. In a word, When the Plague was worse, in some sense, than that of Egypt; There was not a house wherein there was not one dead, but here was Amos 6. 10. many a house in which there was not one left alive. Descend we to the next year; wherein God uses a new method, and severer demonstration of his wrath. He had formerly sent a fire into our blood, and now sends a fire into our houses; that year took away the Inhabitants from their houses; this takes away the Habitations from the Inbabitants. One year he throws an hundred thousand carcases under ground, and the next levels thirteen thousand houses with it. He hath dealt with us, as he threatened to do unto Jerusalem; and made this City, as he threatened that, Jer. 19 11, 12. a very Tophet. Tophet was a place of burial, and a Isai. 3. 33. place of burning; so was this City; one year you buried till there was no place to bury in: In the next it burned till there was little left to be consumed. A fire like that of Hell, the horror whereof no pen can express, nor tongue can tell. Worse than that at Tabera; that was but in the skirts of the Numb. 11. 1, 2. Camp, but this in the bowels of this Royal City. When God had permitted a vile Miscreant to throw but a flunk of fire, and his vindictive Justice blows the bellows, how soon is it kindled into a flame? how soon got upon the house tops? what a doleful noise awakes men from their sleepy beds, and calls them up to quench the growing flames? They in the mean time, like men amazed, cannot find their hands, but are even at their wit's end, and know not which way to turn themselves. In the mean speace the greedy flames pursue their prey; and while men make none, or feeble resistance, gather strength; and, because it is not suddenly quenched, grows unquenchable. Who can express the horror of that day, when this Royal City, the Metropolis of the Nation, the Chamber of our Kings, so renowned through the whole World, was become a Tophet, one Oven? When the proud flames had advanced their curled looks above the tops of the stateliest buildings, insulting over all engines, and contemning all force, that was used against them. When the fire, like the Smith's forge, grew the hotter for the water that was brought to quench it. When it licked up whole houses, as the Ox licks up grass. When massy timber was but as straw, and the very bricks burnt again like stubble. Then might you have seen fourscore and odd Churches, dedicated to God's Service, all in flames preaching wrath to such, as would not obey that Word which had been preached in them. It were infinite, and beside my purpose, as much as beyond my power, to express all the dreadfulness of that day. When the Sun itself seemed to be turned into blood, and the Moon was out-shone by the greater light of the Fire. When men had so long hazarded themselves to defend their houses, that they were glad to run away by the light of the fire that consumed them, to save their lives. While some were disputing with themselves, what to save, and what to leave, the fire came and determined the debate, and consumed all. And to close up this sad Meditation, When the delicate Dame, that seldom used to touch the ground with her foot, was glad to beat it on the hoof, leading or rather dragging her tender Child in hand, justled by every Porter without any respect, and walking in as great a danger, as that from which she fled. And at night, instead of their large chambers, ceiled houses, warm beds, and rich hang, were fain to take up in the open field; where they had no Canopy, but the Heavens; nor bed, but the Earth to rest upon. Thus, thus, this famous City, which was elder than Solomon's Temple by an hundred years (if some calculate aright) and had been two thousand seven hundred and seventy years growing to its height, in four day's space, fell into that confused Chaos, wherein our eyes have seen it. Now in your cold blood you cannot but acknowledge that these were real reproofs, and may pass for severe ones too. That was the first Query, the second follows; which is, 2. Whether we have been amended by these reproofs? or, whether we have hardened our necks against them? I wish it may prove otherwise, but I fear the worst. Should a strict inquisition be made into our hearts and lives, what reformation would be found there? After all these several and sad dispensations, may not God say, I would have healed Jer. 51. 9 you, and you would not be healed; I have done thus and thus unto you, brought one Judgement in the neck of another, but ye have not returned to me, no not to this very day? What sins are left? what duties better performed than before? tell me he that can, for I know not. Is not God's Name unhallowed by unimaginable oaths, curses, and blasphemies? Are not his Ordinances and Institutions slighted and abused still? Is not his Day openly profaned still; and more than ever? Is drunkenness, uncleanness, debauchery, less in request than heretofore? Are we less censorious, slandering, and backbiting than we were? Is covetousness, self-seeking, oppression, injustice, less practised than before these Judgements fell upon us? or, do not all these rather grow upon us? What ground hath God gained upon us by these tedious executions? tell me he that can. Truly (if a man may be bold to speak truth in this degenerate age) there seems to be but little reformation wrought. But, as those whom God complains of, the more we are smitten, the worse we Isai 1. grow: Like the Smith's Anvil, we are the harder for smiting; or like restive Jades, that go the worse for beating. Of the prodigious Atheisin which reigns among too many! who never think nor speak of God, but when they swear or curse; never talk of Religion or the Scriptures, but to deride and jeer it; who never think themselves Wits, till they have proved themselves downright Atheists; who make these severe Judgements of God matters of their sport, but not motives to lead them to repentance. In a word for all; Are we more serviceable to God? more profitable to men, more faithful in our callings, more exact in our duties, more humble, more charitable, more conscionable in our deal, than before? if not; 'tis to be feared that we grow worse. If the furnace soften us not, as it doth gold, it will harden us, as it doth clay. 3. And if this be the case with us, what can we rationally expect, but what the Text threatens, Destruction? We seem to draw towards it apace, and I cannot well see what will be the next degree of punishment to which God can advance, beneath Destruction. We are already in Ephraim's case; strangers had devoured his strength, and he saw it not; grey hairs Hos. 7 9, 10. were here and there upon him, and he knew it not: But the Pride of Ephraim did testify to his face, and they do not turn to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this. Is not this as true of us, as ever it was of Ephraim? Are not grey heirs upon us? is not our glory abated? our strength broken? are not the symptoms of a declining dying age upon us? Honour and reputation weakened abroad; trade and wealth lost at home. Poor sinful and feeble Nation! fainting under its own weight, creeping towards its own funeral; yet alas! we are not sensible of it, we lay it not to heart! 4. What then remains, but to apply ourselves seriously to those ways and means, which only are left us, for the reconciling us to God, supporting of a tottering Nation, establishing of a languishing City, and preventing that destruction which is threatened in the Text? But what are they? Hear what God himself saith; Return to me, and I will return to you. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your Jer. 3. 1, & 22. backslidings. At what time I shall speak concerning a Nation or Kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it; if that Nation, against which I have pronounced, turn from their evil ways, I will repent me of the evil I Jer. 18. 7, 8. thought to do against them. If you will loathe yourselves, and all your do which have not been good, and be guided by my Counsel; Jer. 42 10. I will plant you, and not pluck you up, and I will repent me of the evil that I have done against you. What then is to be done? bend your ear to Discipline, and harden not your necks against Reproofs. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and accept of the punishment of your sins. Break off your sins by repentance, and your iniquity by acts of piety and charity. Take unto yourselves words, and say from the bottom of your heart, Take away Iniquity, and receive us graciously. Now the axe is laid to the root of the tree, bring forth fruits meet for Repentance. O good Friends! if there be in your hearts any fear of God's Judgements, any sense of his Mercies, any pity to a languishing Kingdom, any kindness for an (almost) ruined City, set, set quickly, set seriously about this work. So may you happily see God's anger pacified, a tottering Nation supported, trade revived, and your City totally rebuilt, reinhabited, and flourish again. But if this be neglected, all other projects and contrivances will be so far from doing you good, that they will advance your ruin. We may have peace with our neighbours, but how long that may last is uncertain. Or grant that a General peace, which is every good man's desire, be concluded in Christendom; yet who knows, but the first day of a General peace may be the last day of our tranquillity? But admit, that we continue at peace with our Neighbours, and all the World; what will that advantage us, while God himself is our enemy? You may recover trade, but you will lose the Jewel of great price; Riches may be got, but Heaven will be lost. What though your City be rebuilt? (and, blessed be God, is like the Phoenix risen more glorious out of her own ashes) yet without repentance and amendment of life, the stones out of the walls will Hab. 2. 11. cry for justice, and the beam out of the timber will answer it. What though your City be built with bricks? so was Babel, and yet confounded; what though it were built of hewn stone? so was Solomon's Temple, and yet utterly destroyed. Believe it, Sirs! There is no fence against an angry and incensed God, without repentance, and amendment of life. There was never yet any, either person or people, that hardened themselves against him, and prospered. When the Mountains shall be melted, and the Rocks removed out of their place, there will be found an eternal truth in the words of the Text; He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. FINIS.