USEFUL INSTRUCTIONS for a professing People in Times of great SECURITY AND DEGENERACY: Delivered in several SERMONS on Solemn Occasions:  
By Mr. Samuel Willard Pastor of the Church of Christ at Groton.  Ezek. 3. 17. Son of Man, I have made thee a Watchman to the House of Israel: therefore hear the Word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. Amos 3. 8. The Lord God hath spoken, who can but Prophecy? Jer. 2. 31. O Generation, See ye the Word of the Lord: have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a Land of darkeness? wherefore say my People, we are Lord●, we will come no more unto thee. Haggai. 1. 5, 7. Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways. 
CAMBRIDGE: Printed by Samuel Green.  
1673   

To his Beloved Friends the Inhabitants of GROTON.  
THat it was not a desire to appear in public, but to answer your requests, gave light to the ensuing Sermons, ye are my witnesses, and that in the publishing of them, I have no● endeavoured to varnish and paint them over with flourishes of men pleasing words; the thing itself may speak: in the reading you shall find nothing but what was delivered in Preaching. Touching the occasion of them I need not advertise you, you may well enough call to mind, the loud voice of speaking pro●idences, which for●ad me in such a day to be silent: The sad ●andof God whic● was upon the poor possessed Creature, which produced that on Isai. 26. 9 hath sounded through this Wilderness, but you were eye witnesses of it; the Lord affect your hearts, and give you to learn righteousness. The other two were also upon solemn Occasions, the hand of God upon this Land, and us in particular, ●ids Ministers to cry aloud; the Lord God hath spoken, who can but Prophesy? I know man's corruption is not willing to beclos●ly dealt withal, but I hope many of you have not so learned Christ. My heart's desire and prayer for you is, that you may be prepared for shaking times, and the nearer they approach the more need have we to be hastened and roused from our loitering. If these poor labours of mine, may help in that great business, ●have my ends fully answered; and my desire for you is, that those affections may be blown up again in the reading which were kindled in the preaching; I know I have but a while to be among you, if God please to mak● me by these, or any other weak endeavours, to be under him instrumental of your 〈◊〉 good, I shall die with joy; and so meet you all at the right hand of our Judge in that great day, is the highest ambition of  
Your unworthy Minister. S. W.   
Jer. 7. 12. But go ye now unto my Place which is in Shiloh, etc. 
IN the beginning of this Chapter, the Lord sends by his Prophet, to call Judah and Jerusalem to true Repentance; encourageing them to it by a promise of establishment of their peace and mercies, in case they would so do. v●r. 1, 2, 3, & 5 6, 7. etc. That this counsel of his may take effect upon them, he endeavours to reclaim them from their vain confidence in their external worship, and enjoyment of the Temple and Ordinances, ver. 4. After which he enlargeth himself by a Declaration, of their hypoc●●● 〈◊〉 deal, and false trust in the Temple, as if it were a sure safe g●●rd t● them from punishment, notwithstanding all their wicked abom●●● 〈◊〉 on's, ver. 8, 9, 10. which vanity, he declares to b● a changing of a 〈◊〉 of holy worship, into a den of ●obhers, ver. 11. and then gives them to understand that he takes notice of it: And in the Text further 〈◊〉 the●▪ off from their vain confidence by sending them to Shiloh, to take notice of his dealing with them for their sins.  
From the context, divers Truths are Observable.  
Doct. 1. When God is never so much provoked with a people, 〈◊〉 yet tenders them terms of peace, before he cuts them off. In the th●e● last verses of the former Chapter, he shows what they were 〈◊〉 rebellious and counselless people, on whom he had laid out much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he had sent many messengers, who had spent their breath 〈◊〉 lives to no purpose, and yet here again he sends an invitation to re●●●tance, with a conditional promise of good; before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last sentence against them. The like we shall find. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 1. and 18. 11. etc.  
Reason 1. From the great desire which God hath that sinner's sh●●● 〈◊〉 li●e: that he may verify that truth. Ezek. ●8 ●●. That sinners▪ 〈◊〉 know where the true and proper cause o● their destr●ction 〈◊〉 ●ha● is in themselves, and not in him; they shall not have the blame to 〈◊〉 ●pon God in the least, and therefore he proffers pardon and 〈◊〉 holds out the flag of peace before them, that if in the time of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will come in, they may, and welcome.  
Reas. 2. From the Attributes of mercy and long-suffering, which discover themselves in withholding the stroke of vengeance, and holding his hand back. jer. 3. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 9 God will have a time for all his Attributes to appear, now is the day of mercy, and now God will let sinners have large trusts of it, he warns, yea, follows on to warn and persuade with a people; that if it be possible they may escape  
Reas. 3. For the advancement of his glory by his patience, God a●m● at himself, his own glory in all his do: now by this Clemency of his he will gain honour, either to his mercy in their welfare, or his justice in their ruin; which every way God will be a gainer hereby: if they repent, how will they magnify his patience and so bearance: if they be obstinate and perish, how eminently will he clear his justice in their ruin?  
Use 1. This may convince us how unreasonable a thing it is to sin against God: is God so unwilling to punish, so desirous to do us good, so ready to pardon us, who would sin against, and provoke such a God? ●old, presumptuous, and horrible is that spirit of iniquity, that makes God's patience and mercy his encouragement to sin; would we deal so by man, who would take encoucagement? to vex and anger one that is good and patiented to us: that is the aggravation of their sin▪ Psal. 1●6. 43. their deliverances were the occasion of their presumption to sin.  
Use 2. What encouragement is there here to us after all our grievous sins? to return to the Lord by Repentance, God is yet ready to receive us, and restore his mercies unto us, and therefore let us be quickened up by this consideration. motive.  
1. Consider the wonderful self denial that there is in God, he needs us ●ot, but could do well enough without us, being self-sufficient in himself, yea, hath Angels which attend upon him, and that he should accept of dust and ashes, much more unprofitable sinful creatures, and ●ceive them into mercy; oh what a condescendency is this!  
2. Consider, the wrong we do him will fall upon ourselves in the ●nd, ●● may fight against him, but they are arrows shot up against heaven, ●●ich will fall down upon our own heads. jer. 7. 19 we may think ●hat we will, but the issue of such provocations, will be the imp●●i●●t sinners confusion; briers and thorns must not think to thrive against ● devouring fire.  
● Consider, The benefits of Repentance will redound to our own good. Jer. 7▪ 5, 6, 7. we shall taste the sweet of it; to escape from misery, to enjoy the benediction of God, and sweet fruits of peace, will be our advantage: let it then break our hearts to consider, that after all our sins, God hath yet wid'ned arms to receive us into: if a man find his enemies, would he not destroy them. 1. Sam. 24. 19 yet hath God had manifold opportunities and sufficient provocations, and hath not made use of them.  
Doct. 2. True Repentance is the best and only way for the settlement of true peace: this the Lord propounds to them as the way and means to settlement, that they may dwell in that place for ever: and to that end he calls them up, not to a feigned, but a true repentance; if they had a desire to prosper. jer. 4. 1. if you will return, return to me. i e. be sure to repe●t aright, do not turn from one sin to another, do not wander from that mountain to this hill, change one Idol for another; but go back again to your God: hence the Lord shows that to be the reason of the continuance of their sorrows. Isa. 5● 2, 3, 4. and Zech. 7. 5, 6. they had pretended services, fastings, etc. but they did i● not to God, it was not in a right manner.  
Reas. 1. From the difference between true and feigned repentance, in the one there is a free and hearty renouncing of all sin: a sight of it, a sorrow for it, and a forsaking it; this the Lord himself hath constituted as the way to enjoy mercy. Prov. 28. 13. this hath a firm promise made to it. Isa. 1. 19, 20. when as feigned repentance is a mocking of God, as the Lord declares, and therefore denounceth that threatening against it Isa. 29. 13, 14. God will not be mocked by sinners; that Repentance which God will only own and acknowledge, comes from a deep touch and sense of the bitterness of sin. jer. 2. 19  
Reas. 2. Because it is only true Repentance which sets us in the way of▪ true peace.  
1. God only is the Author of true peace. Isa. 57 17. if ever the creature be truly enstated in peace, God must speak it to the soul, though all the world should declare amity with the creature, yet if God do not set his seal to it, it is but a blank, and signifies nothing  
2. Sin hath cut the creature off from the right and true foundation of peace, what peace, etc. 2. King. 9 22. God will not, cannot, pronounce blessings and peace to impenitent and hypocritical sinners; 〈◊〉 would wound the great Attribute of his holiness, if he should so d●  
3. It is only by true Repentance that we hearty renounce sin, an● 〈◊〉 under the condition of peace. jer. 3. 12, 13. God sets forth tenders of peace before vile sinners, but there are Articles of composition, terms of agreement, which the Creature must needs consent to, if he desire good, or otherwise the treaty must break off, and be put to an end.  
Use 1. Here see the dangerous estate of an obstinate people, who refuse to hearken to the counsels of God; if once iniquity increase to obstinacy, and renounce repentance the only way of pacification, the condition of such a people is become desperate, Ezek 14 13 as long as there remains any remorse upon the consciences of a people there may be some hope of them, because they are not without capacity of attending the way of peace, but if conscience be stupefied, and the sense of sin obliterated, what hope can there be; and therefore as we would avoid utter ruin, have a care of adding obstinacy to all other sins, if we will yet repent there is hope, but if we are resolute our case is past hope.  
Use 2 To direct us to a right way of settling ourselves in such a firm way of peace as shall stand; let us forsake our sins and return unto God from whom we have turned away; though we have departed away from God into sin, yet let us not stand it out against him: Moti●e.  
1 Consider, Our league with Hell and Death will not do, Isai. 28. 18 we may go down to Egypt and ride upon Horses, but these shall not save us, Isa. 31 beginning, though we should add to own the strength of all the Creation, and engage the whole world in our quarrel, yet we must not think to be too hard for the Almighty, none ever tried a fall with him but they were thrown.  
2 So long as we persist in a way of sin God hath a quarrel against us, Isai: 57: ult: wherever God finds wickedness there he stands off from the sinner; we may make flourishes of great matters in forms of Religion, &c: but if sin be still covenanted with, and we maintain our rebellion, the return will be, who required these things at your hands?  
3 No peace like that whose foundation is laid in true repentance, for its a peace whose Basis is peace with God, and that gives peace with all things, Job 5▪ 19: and it's an inviolable peace, a league which can never be broken: Oh! labour we then after this peace, if we clap up a peace and God be not in it, be will disannul all that is done, but enter a covenant with him and the world shall never be able to overthrow it, Earth and Hell shall not prevail against it; let us then confess our sins to him, and cast ourselves before him, and go with them, Hos: 14: ●:  
Doct: 3 True repentance is always attended with a through reformation: If ye throughly amend your ways, &c ver: 5. the Lord there declares what a manner of repentance it is that he looks for; not a verbal, in a few empty Confessions, nor a formal, in a few dejected and cast down looks: like theirs in Isai: 58: beginning but here, and in the sequel he declares if they will have peace what it is he expects; the sum of which is, let all which hath been amiss be mended, turn over a new leaf, reform your hearts and ways, your souls and lives, and that I will accept of.  
Reas. 1 Because such is the vile and loathsome nature of sin, that can't be indeed seen in its own colours, but it must needs be odious and abominable in our eyes: It hath so much of contrariety in it, to the holiness of God, and so much vileness, and filth, and abomination that none can see it but must needs hate it; when sin i● truly seen, it than appears to be sinful, Rom: 7: 14: that is the very worst name that can be put upon it, viz: it's own: men see sin many times in its effects, and that frights them, but it cannot make them hate their sin, but they think it good enough if it had not such consequences, but when the face of it is uncovered and the souls eyes opened, now he stands off, his affections are slain.  
Reas. 2 From the Inconsistency of hating sin in the heart, and closing with it in the life and practice: will we always keep company, and hold intimate fellowship, and drive a constant trade and commerce with one, the sight of whom we loathe; an unreformed life is a plain denial, and contradicting of all our verbal and professed repentance, Tit: 1: 16: if we live in sin it makes nothing to the credit of the world, much less to the alseeing eye of God to speak and profess against it.  
Reas: 3 From the nature of true repentance, which is a change from what we were to some other thing; a change of affections, a change of profession, and not only so, but also a change of objects, a turning from the creature to God, Jer: 4: ●: now this implies a through reformation when the creature casts off all other things which it hath pursued, 〈◊〉 seek to God alone.  
Use 1 This may call us to the Examination, Whether ever we truly repent or no of those sins which we have so often confessed to God, viz: where is our reformation? Search throughly one and another of us, remember what we have confessed, and with what shows of sense and orow, as if those sins had indeed been a burden to us, and we desire● to be rid of them, but have they been amended, have we truly relinquished them? if not, assure we ourselves God looks at himself as mocked at all this while, and therefore if we be defective in this essential and substantial part of our repentance, never inquire or ask of God wherefore his hand is stretched out still against us, after so many Prayers and supplications have been poured out before him on solemn days:  
The Reason is obvious and plain, and he that runs may read it:  
Use 2 Hence therefore let this truth move upon us, to persuade us, and to reclaim us from words to works; from profession to practise, from confession to amendment: we have begun a good work in confessing, but if it go no further the work is spoiled; add we therefore now to it, reformation, let us turn away from those sins we have drawn up so many protests against, and let us show a practical hatred of what we have verbally renounced.  
Doct. 4. The b●st outward privileges in the world, if once they come to be trusted in, are no better than lies; ver. 4. trust not inlying words, the Temple, etc. i. e. they have as great and grand a delusion in them, and as surely deceive any that place their confidence upon them as any other deceit in the world whatsoever: they are no better shelter, nor will afford any greater security and safeguard to the soul than any other vain hiding place; and therefore, they that trust in them trust in falsehood; a lie is that which is spoken to deceive the creature: thus when men speak of their privileges, and rest on them, they deceive their own selves.  
Reas. 1. Because God gives his blessing with these privileges but conditionally, i. e. according to the creatures improvement of them; if they will make use of them aright they are a special benefit to them, otherwise not, 1 Chron: 28: 11: and therefore positively and absolutely to trust in these, and not to carry a respect to the condition which is annexed to them, it is to neglect and abuse God's order of blessing who together with privileges, promiseth good to the faithful improver of them, but threatens wrath, and denounceth his judgements against the abusers of it, and is therefore a great deceit.  
Reas. 2. Because the greater the blessing is, if not answerably improved, it brings the greater curse upon the Creature: Mat. 11. 2●. that is Cap●rnaums sin, abuse o● Go●pel privileges, and therefore a special and extraordinary doom is passed upon them; the greater the mercy is, the more sadly is God provoked by the abusing of it, and therefore who ever escape, it's like to far ill which such as those. Am. 3. 2.  
Use 1. To reprove our carnal confidence in the enjoyment of the means of grace and privileges of the Gospel: you that trust in your interests you have Sabbaths, Sacraments, liberty of nearest communion with God in his Ordinances, etc. and hereupon you are ready to think that God loves you, and will not being a scourge upon you, but conclude yourselves to be exempted from any danger of misery and desolation; let me tell you, you trust in lying words, you lean upon such a prop as will certainly fail and deceive you in the latter end. Consider, Jer. 9 25, 26.  
Use 2. To awaken us to bethink ourselves what use it is that we make of the means of grace which we have and enjoy, what good we get by the Ordinances: think it not enough that we have and enjoy them; you have the temple of the Lord among you, the Word preached from Sabbath to Sabbath, and the Sacraments administered; these are high privileges, but all the benefit is in the use of them, if we have them only to look upon, and boast off, and not to improve for our conversion to God, and help forward in his ways; they will become a snare to us in the end.  
Doct. 5. 'Tis the great sin of a professing people, in the times of Apostasy, to cover their gross iniquity under the veil of privileges and performances. ver. 8, 9, 10. they thought if they did but come to God's house, and perform a few Ceremonies there, offer sacrifices, etc. they might take the liberty to steal, murder, swear, and what not; thus we read of that bold and impudent woman, who had not her name for nothing. Prov. 7. 14, 15.  
Reas. 1. From their presumptuous trust in their privileges, as though God were bound to preserve his Temple, he hath no other habitation in the world, and therefore he will never departed from hence, his glory is involved in our preservation, and will he laugh in our ruin: if he should destroy us, his name would be routed out of the earth, and therefore there is no danger that ever we should be cut off, or cast out; this was their presumption. Mich. 3. 11. the Lord is among us, no evil can betid us, and therefore they steal, judge for reward, wrong the Innocent; there is no danger.  
Reas. 2. From the secret Atheism and hypocrisy that is in the heart of vain man. who thinks God takes no notice of their wickedness, but is deceived by their pretended services; men consider not that Gods all all seeing eye penetrates into all corners of the earth, and the secrets of the heart, and hence they think they may sin unseen. Ezek. 8. 12.  
Use To quicken us up to examine ourselves, whither or no we are not going into Apostasy by this; ask every one his own heart, can we not launch forth into any sin, do violence, steal etc. and yet go & stand before the Lord and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations: Sin and pray, and pray and sin again, with as much greediness as ever; come before God and make our confessions, tell him a large story of what sins we have been overtaken withal, and seem to beg his presence and help against it, as though we were willing and desirous to be rid of it, and yet go away, and strive no more against the temptation, nor set ourselves in opposition against the sin than we did before; but entertain the same with greediness, the very next time we meet an opportunity and provocation, be as vain, as passionate, &c as ever; and when all is done, then come and rinse them over again in few tears and empty confessions: and so wipe our mouths, and say, what have I done; if the matter be so with us, this is an evidence to us of the depth of hypocrisy in our hearts; well, let us look to ourselves, we may thus please ourselves into a vain hope and soul delusion, but let us know that God and our sins will find us out.  
Doct. 6. Hypocritical service is no better than robbery, pretended service to God: to come reaking from our sins into the house of God to perform a few formal duties, and when we have done, to go thence again with more greedy desires after it; what is this, but to turn the house of God into a den of Robbers.  
Reas. 1. Because God is hereby rob of that glory which is due to his Name, who requires hearty service; which the hypocrite offers up to the Idol of his heart, and not unto God; he gives that glory which is alone due to God, to his graven Images, to his own by ends and aims; God requires the heart, because he knows that that is the leader of all the rest of the faculties, and it is his due, for he made it; but the hypocrite steals the best piece of the sacrifice from God, and is not this Robbery.  
Reas. 2. Because the sinner hereby robs himself of all the good which he should otherwise get by his service, if it were done in sincerity. Ezek. 14. 7, 8. God hath made great promises to sincerity, in manifold expressions in Scripture, but he denounceth fore woes upon hypocrites, destructive desolation and ruin; so that it is time lost, and rooting ourselves out from good.  
Use To condemn that spirit of hypocrisy which is ready to seize upon our hearts, will you give entertainment to secret sins, and forsake God in your hearts, live in a way and course of disobedience, and yet here come before God in solemn and serious duties, as though you were good Christians; God looks upon you as no better than a company of Robbers, you do at the present rob him of his glory; but, assure yourselves, he will not be a loser by you, the time hastens when he will come and recover his honour out of your hands: and you rob yourselves of all the good you might get by such opportunities as these; oh! if such duties were done in truth and sincerity, they would bring in a plenteous harvest; fasting days would be our best feasting days, God would both accept of us, and also crown us with admirable blessings; but if we will come with an Idol in our hearts, cry out against such sins as we bear an entire love unto, confess those evils we never intent to leave off in our course, assure we ourselves we shall be found the greatest self Cheaters in the end.  
Doct. 7. God takes notice of, and will find a time to punish the wickedness of a sinning people; for both these are understood in the words▪ ver. 1 ● I behold it, and will requite it: so Psal. 35. 22, 23.  
Reas. From the Attributes of Omniscience and justice.  
1. God knows all things, nothing can escape his sight, because his eye is every where. Pro. 15. 3. he knows all things, even the secrets of the hearts of men, for he made them, every room and corner of them; he therefore keeps a key to them; he must needs be Omniscient, for he is Omnipresent in all places, by his essential presence; intimate with all things: Acts 17. 28.  
2. He observes all things, and there is reason for it, because he administers the affairs of the whole world; Psal. 33. 13, 14, 15. All actions of the creatures in the world flow as to their principle from him, and therefore he cannot but take notice of them  
3. He will requite, for he is just and cannot but give them their demerit, Jer 5. 29. he is the judge of the whole world; and therefore must be just, he is the highest and supreme judge, beyond whom there is no appeal, and therefore had need be just; yea, he is engaged by his Word to do justice and execute judgement upon sinners for their sins.  
Use 1. To show us how vain a thing it is to go about to deceive God with vain services, whiles our heart is estranged from him; if we had to deal with man like ourselves, we might easily cast a blind before their eyes, and make them believe strange matters, but God who can in no ways cheat or deceive, though we cover our service with a cloak of deceit, yet God can tell us whether it be alive or dead; and if we go about so to serve him, he will make us to know sooner or later, that he took good notice of them in the day when he comes to set our sins in order before us, and tell us this we did at such a time, and that abomination at another time: See Psal. 50. 18. etc.  
Use 2. This may certify the sinner, that God will take a time to reckon with him, the all-seeing eye sees thee, and cannot choose but take notice of thee, and he will call thee to an account, though he may seem to wink at present and not to take notice of thy ways and do, but to let thee alone; yet I promise thee time will be when thou shalt know it to thy cost, that he is not such an one as thou art, nor did ever give his consent to and approbation of thy ways and do: and therefore is there any here that lies and lives in sin; deceive not thy own soul, but let it awaken thee to look about thee, and make thy peace with God, for otherwise what he hath spoken he will perform, he will not come short of his threaten any whit more than his pr●mises, let then that counsel be acceptable. Am. 4. ult. meet God with Repentance, before he meet us with his heavy plagues But I come from the Context to the words of the Text: God having counselled and warned them; the further to awaken and effect their hearts, and preserve them, sets a lively example before them: in every way suiting and answering the present state of jerusalem, he therefore sets it forth. 1. By the title it once bare, the place etc. 2. By the evils which were brought upon it: where, 1. The author, God himself: what I did. 2. The procuring cause, the wickedness of my people Israel: Hence.  
Doctor 8. The example of God's judgements upon his own people for their sin and wicked Apostasy, are very useful and solemn considerations for all professors of Religion; the Lord sends jerusalem to Shiloh, and for what end, only to see, what he did, and for what, to view his judgements in their causes and effects; to see, i. e. not only to look on, but to consider them seriously, and to make use of them to themselves; and learn something from it for their own conviction; by comparing cases together.  
The ground of the truth we may understand if we consider a few propositions: viz.  
1. God hath one rule of dealing with all his externally covenanted people in the world, and that because the covenant with them all runs upon the same terms and conditions, for it is a conditional Covenant; in the which there is a promise and a threatening, a promise annexed to obedience, but a threatening denounced against disobedience. Isa. 1. 19, 20. It is true, God reserves a sovereignty to himself as to the circumstances of his deal with his people in one place or in another; without either infringing his Covenant, or rendering to the creature a Reason of that variety; hence, possibly patience and mercy may longer wait upon some then others, some God may come severely out against, for breach of Covenant, and to others he may condescend to allow a greater space to repent in, as he pleaseth, and he does not the least wrong or injury in so doing, because he is both supreme, and hath ends in all his judgements, beyond the capacity of the creatures finding out; but, as to the essence of the Covenant, he thus far stands positively and absolutely engaged to reward obedience, and to punish disobedience; which flows from his everlasting righteousness.  
2. Examples of God's judgements upon his own people for their sins, are evident confirmations and testimonies that he is a God who proceeds impartially according to his own Rule; as when Laws are executed according to the tenor of them upon malefactors in the Kingdom; we now know that such Laws were not mere scare-crows, made only to fright, but not to hurt, but that there was reality in the Lawmakers, and that they were really set against such evils to subvert and 〈◊〉 them out, and may teach others to expect what to meet with, in the like cases: so, when God punisheth sin in his people according to his threatening in his word, we now see that those threaten are realities; that his orders and constitutions are not bugbears, but realities, that sin shall not go unpunished. Hence God declares in his word, that he will be known to be God in his judgements. Exek. 28. 22 if men will not believe the word, that God will do as he hath said, but presume upon his mercy and patience; when he takes his rod into his hand, now he is mad, that belieus not.  
3. Hence, Examples have matter of precept in them. God's judgements are documents, there are doctrinal conclusions to be drawn for our instruction out of them, hence, we shall find God in Scripture calling upon his people to look upon Examples. thus, Luk. 17. 32. 2 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6 etc. If God have thus dealt with such a people, we may thence conclude he will deal so with those that are so qualified, i● we enjoy the same privileges that Israel did, and make no better use of them then they made of theirs, we may expect to be visited as well as they were, and not only may we argue a p●●i, but also ab impa●i, from the lesser to the greater; if Israel so privileged were not spared; how much less shall we be spared, who exceed them in privileges, if sinners under the Law found no favour, how much sorer punishment may sinners under the Gospel expect: God writes his severe truths with the blood of his disobedient Subjects, and makes their ruinons' heaps to proclaim knowledge and counsel to the rest of the world: Sodom's ashes, Shiloh's fire, Ierusalem's desolation, are uses of instruction to the Inhabitants of the Earth.  
4. Examples are of wondrous benefit to give efficacy to Doctrines, and move upon the affections, and bring them to consideration, they are useful to persuade; and to move the soul to make out after God: Psal. 7●. 6, 7, 8.  
1. Because there is a natural sympathy between the children of men, there is a kind of a fellow feeling of sufferings; when we read only of Doctrines, these may reach the understanding, but when we read or hear of Examples, humane affection doth as it were represent to us the ca●e as our own; whereupon the judgements of God, do in the very hearing dwell upon the thoughts, and take upon the heart: when I read the story of Sodom's overthrow, me thinks I see the Sun rising in glorious brightness, the Sodomites sporting and pleasing themselves in their opulence and security; when on a sudden, me thinks I see the heavens covered with those sable clouds, and hear the great Cannon of heaven thundering down tempests upon them, and the streams of fire with horror and dread, till I behold a proud City; on a sudden become a desolate heap; when I read Ierusale●s history, me thinks I see the battering Engines placed against the walls; the proud enemy climbing up the battlements, the feeble and faint-hearted Citizens flying into corners, overtaking by the insulting foe; who without mercy or pity sheaths his sword in their bowels; methinks I see the fire-balls flying too and fro, and the glorious buildings, the work of many years, yielding to that prevailing and mercyless enemy, I hear the cries of ravished virgins and bereft Orphans, yea, I look on till I see all Gods threaten fulfilled, and the glory of the Nations stripped of all ornament and become a widow, etc.  
Because examples come in by the senses, and these have a great stroke to move the affections, and they persuade the heart of man. Lam. 3. 51.  
3. Because Examples have an awakening voice in them, when judgement comes into the world, it carries awe with it, it sensibly moves the soul to have consideration; such as these are natural influences upon the heart of such as have any remainder of an acting conscience in them. viz.  
1. Why may not the same judgements befall us, what grounds have we to promise ourselves security, and immunity from the same plagues & miseries which are upon others.  
2. Hereupon they put the creature in mind of its ways and do, what they have been; now conscience, if it be not altogether seared and benumbed, reads the creature a more close and severe Lecture then usual, now those sins that he had before lived in forgetfulness came afresh into his memory.  
3. Hence they are to put the creature into fear of the same wrath and terror, as Scholars, when they see their Master take the rod in hand, to punish offenders; every one presently considers what his faults have been, and if he have been tardy, he stands quivering, and quaking, fearfully expecting when his time and turn will come to be called forth.  
4. Now the soul is put upon the study and consideration how to prevent and escape severe and like plagues, now he be-thinks himself of making his peace of coming and seeking a pardon; for fear least by obstinacy he bring himself to ruin.  
5. Now the creature is alarmed to Repentance, he had calls before, but those he regarded not, but now he sees there is no longer delaying and playing with the threaten of God, and now, if ever, is the soul in a likely way to be reclaimed.  
Use Of counsel and exhortation to us, in the words of the Text, go to Shiloh, etc. In the prosecution of which use, I shall.  
1. Bring you to Shiloh, and show you what God did to it, and for what,  
2. Draw some useful instructions from the consideration of Shiloh, and press them in a few words of counsel.  
I. Then, go to Shiloh: and here consider,  

1. What Shiloh was,  
2. What were their sins.  
3. God's judgements on it.   
1. What Shiloh was, we have it in the words of the Text in two things.  
1. It was God's place: i. e. a peculiar place which he had chosen to himself, his chief place.  
2. It was the place where God set his name at the first: i. e. It was the first Tent, or Tabernacle where God set up his Ordinances, and called his name upon it, after he had given to his people Israel possession of the land of Canaan: as we shall find in Joshua 18. 1. here it was that after the Ark had been unsettled for 40 years and upward in the wilderness, God first chose it a fixed place, here was God worshipped first-after he had granted a settlement to his people Israel. The Tabernacle was a Testimony of God's presence with his people, hither the Tribes came up to worship, here it was that God manifested his great glory, by this it was that God declared Israel to be a peculiar people to himself, so that Shiloh was not only a part of God● dwelling place, for so were all the Tribes, nor only a habitation of God's people, for so were all other Cities, Towns and Villages where Israel dwelled, but it was the place of Gods manifesting himself to his peole, his especial habitation.  
2. What was the wickedness of Shiloh; for the Lord shows that it was for that, that he did that to it, which he had done; Text, now we shall see the sin of Sh●loh, if we look into 1 Sam. 2. 12. etc. which was the sin of the Priests in contemning the Ordinances of God, giving an evil example to the people, and enriching themselves in a way of abuse of God's Institutions, and thereby discouraging the people from serving of God, and of Eli in bearing with the wickedness, and not severely punishing the sin of his sons, which God interprets as a preferring them before him. ver. 21. etc. and Psal. 78. 41. to 60. where their horrible ingratitude in forgetting Gods mercies, and woful-Idolatry is declared: this was Israel's sin, the Priests and people were polluted and defiled, and alienated from God; there was a continuance of Ordinances and sacrifice, but both abuse of Ordinances and Idolatry, both in profession and practice.  
3. The judgements of God upon his people Israel, and upon Shiloh in particular: we shall find recorded in scripture, what God did to it; for that is the thing which God would have in especial be minded, look into 1 Sam. 4. 10. 11: where you shall find the judgement denounced, and more amply we shall read of the execution of it in Psal 78. 59 to 68 where we have described unto us, the effects of their sins.  
●. In alienating of God's affections from them, turning of his former love into hatred. ver. 59 God had formerly loved Israel, they were to him a choice people, tender as the apple of ones eye, tenderly taken care for, and fostered by him, protected from evils, dandled in the lap of his providence, and singularly respected by him; as we shall find amply related to us in Deut. 32. 7, etc. But now his heart was hardened against them, and his former love turned into abhorrence and detestation.  
2. The consequents following upon this, or the tokens whereby God signified and expressed his displeasure unto them, which are.  
1. God departed and forsook them, even his own house, not only the other Cities, of Israel, but even his own tent at Shiloh, ver. 60.  
2. When God had left them, all miseries followed, ver. 61. etc. their crown was taken from their head, and their enemies which formerly were tributary to them, now lord it over them, yea, an universal deluge of miseries came upon them, as you may there read. Thus you see Shiloh, once chosen by God, where he set up his Ordinances, made his name to dwell, and shone forth in his wonderful glory: forsaken by God, and buried in its own ruins, altogether disowned and refused as a place of abhorrence and contempt.  
3. Let us consider what we may learn at Shiloh, observe here even from the consideration of this example.  
1. That God hath no where on earth so engaged himself and his presence, but that sin may drive him away: where was his name greater than at Shiloh; there was the Tabernacle, there was the Priests and Levites serving, there were daily morning and evening sacrifices, thither came the tribes yearly to appear before God, there were the seals of God's Covenant, yet is Shiloh deserted and destroyed; jerusalem may also witness this truth, the once dwelling place of God, where the Temple was, the place whereof God had said, this is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Psal. 132. 14. but now behold it deserted and twice made the subject of God's fury, and not so much as the ruins of it left to testify what it was, a stone not to be found upon a stone; hence therefore learn we not to promise ourselves security if we be found in the ways of sin, whatsoever engagement and covenant God may seem to stand bound in unto us, God knows how to keep up his glory in the world, though we be ruinated, he can keep up a Church in the world, though we be left desolate; the stones of the field, if he but speak the word, shall rise up children of Abraham; the remotest ends of the earth shall come in, and the children of the Kingdom shall be thrust out; let not this therefore be your rest.  
2. That Zion affords no more security to sinners than Sodom, Shiloh is as dangerous a place to sin in, as any in the world; if a people in covenant with God, be found rebellious, he will spare them no more than any other people, nay he will begin with them. Am. 3. 2. judgement shall begin at his house; Shilohs ruins are a memorial of this, and declare how vain it is to take sanctuary in the Tabernacle, and shrewd ourselves from judgement under pretence of God's covenant; jerusalem smarted dearly for this sin, if joab be a man of death, it avails him not to take hold of the horns of the Altar:  
Learn we therefore from hence, to beware to ourselves, how we make bold to sin, and think the Covenant shall save us; if God find us rebellious, & bold sinners, though we should hid ourselves in the Temple, and take refuge under the pretended shadow of God's promises of favour and love to us, God will yet find us out, and will not spare us; whatever they plead for themselves. Mat. 7. 21, 22. yet Christ's answer still is, I know you not; I tell thee, when God shall come forth to execute his judgements upon sinners, thy church membership, thy privileges shall not save thee, God will no more regard thee for all this than if thou wert an Indian; except it be to punish thee the more, because thy sins have therein been greater, and more heinous: if such pleas could have prevailed, who could have pleaded more than Shiloh? and jerusalem.  
3. General Apostasy makes way for general calamity, learn this in Shiloh; the Priests violated Gods Ordinances, and the people they provoked him with their Idols, and then see the effects. 1 Sam. 4. 10, 11. Israel is smitten, 30000 slain, the Ark lost, the Priests slain, read this also in jerusalem. 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16, etc. hence therefore what greater request can we leave with God this day, than this, that he would prevent our general decay in grace, and to that end, that he would restore the fallen, prevent the backsliding, and settle hi● own, that mercy may be settled among us; pray for rulers in Church and Commonwealth, that they may do right, and give good examples, and for all the body of people, that sin do not grow and increase among them; if once we see a spirit of prevailing corruption spreading itself among us, we may read leading symptoms of destruction & misery, & therefore may be roused up to ply the throne of grace, that such sad causes may be removed, and so our eyes may not see the natural direful effects that flow from them,  
4. Lenetie in Rulers, brings ruin upon a people, whether in Common wealth or in Churches: Rulers may be good men in themselves, so was Eli, but if they give way to sinful forbearance in the executing of Justice according to the will of God, they are not occasions only, but leading causes to the undoing of a people, because such a spirit animates wicked spirits, and makes them bold to do perversely upon presumption of a pardon, or to be passed by with some gentle reproof; God chargeth Shiloh's destruction upon Eli, who was Judge in Israel, and when his Sons the Priests did wickedly, he connives so far, as only to rebuke them, who being gotten beyond remorse or sense of reproof abused their Father's patience, to add to their Rebellion; therefore must Shiloh be laid waist.  
Hence therefore, let this teach us to pray unto God, to put a Spirit into our Rulers, Zealous against Sin, especially in these times of prevailing iniquity; and let us, in our place encourage them in so doing, by rejoicing in acts of Justice and severity, against such evils as grow and thrive among us: Pray that they may not respect persons, nor encourage some in sin, by sparing others; especially remembering, that as long as such a spirit is in Rulers, what ever sins there be in a people, there are still some to stand in the Gap.  
5. The greatest Mercys abused by sin, give God the highest provocation. God recounts what he had done for them, and what they had done against him, Israel sinned greivously, after such and such favours, and when God heard this, when this was the report brought him of the improvement that they had made of all his mercies, this brings them into abhorrence: and good reason there is for it, for every mercy is an obligation laid upon the creature to obedience; hence the greater the mercy is, the stronger tye lies upon the creature; to sin therefore against mercy, grace, and special mercies, is to break Gods strong cord of Love, than which, what greater provocation can there be: Consider David & Hanu●, 2 Sam. 10. Ingratitude in return for friendship, is the most hard to bear of any thing. Ask we then our own hearts, what use we have made of all those great mercies which our God hath bestowed upon us: great favours we have had, equal with those he had showed to his people at Shiloh; yea, if all things be considered, we may well say, Superior unto them, in as much as the days of the Gospel afford far greater light, than the days of the Law did; and have we remembered what God hath done for us? so as to make our returns unto him; hath he had his tribute of thankful Obedience? have we lived up to our enjoyments? have we been singular in holiness? as we have been singular in the means of holiness; or have we not rather grown vain and lose, and profane? despising of the means, and hardening our hearts against the Counsels of God? if it be so with us, Go to Shiloh, and tremble.  
6: A People forsaken of God are in the road way to all misery: we read, God forsakes his Tent which was in Shiloh, and what follows, but ruin and waste, and an universal deluge of destruction: all woes follow when he is gone, Hos. 9 12. and reason there is for it, for his favour is the life of a people, his protection is their only defence; well may it therefore be said of a people, deserted by God, their rock hath sold them into the hands of misery: fear we therefore to provoak God to leave us. Consider,  
1. All our blessings are in his hand, he holds us at his dispose, if any people in the World, then to be sure we are at God's provision, who have no store but what his yearly blessing brings in unto us.  
2. Sin will provoke him to leave us, for he is a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, i. e. with love, liking or approbation; his holiness engageth him to manifest signal discoveries of the contrariety which he hath against sin.  
3. If when he repoves our sins, we harden ourselves in them, it is a sure sign that he is forsakeing of us, Jer. 7. 28. Have we therefore given to God any provocation to unsettle himself, an think of a removal away from us: Oh let our repentance fetch him back and settle him.  
Lastly. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God: The Characters of God's wrath, & impressions of his Judgements remaining upon Shiloh, teach us this Lesson: If God come once to abhor a people for their sins, and fall upon them in his Judgements; he meets them not as a man, but gives them a Divine stroke; if he be angry, his very countenance is terrible and amazing. Psal. 18. 8 etc. Hab. 3. what is he then, when he pours out his displeasure: Labour we then from the example of Shiloh, to fear and dread provoaking the great God to wrath against us: what ever causes moving to this occasion, are in God's goodness removed away from us, yet the remembrance of our sins is matter sufficient to humble us before God this day; Better it is for us to bow ourselves before him, lest he break us in pieces: and therefore let it be our great endeavour to meet God in the way by Repentance, before he come home to us in wrath, and fall upon us in his sore displeasure; let that be the great practical lesson that we learn at Shiloh. For motive:  
1. Consider, God will not bear with sin, let him find it where he will: He is no respecter of persons, circumcised, or uncircumcised, if uncircumcised in heart: Jer 9 25▪ 26. if he find it in Church, or Commonwealth, in Rulers, or Subjects; where he finds it, he will punish it.  
2. God is yet willing to be met with Repentance, we have many signs and tokens of Gods desire rather that we should live then die, hence hath he drawn out his long suffering to so long a thread as he hath done; by following with counsels, and piece-mealing out his judgements.  
3 There is all Reason we should acknowledge and repent, we are not able to give a good Reason, only we have sinned against him, that was unreasonable: jer. 2 5. and if so, then needs must it be Rational, that we should see the evil, and take the shame to ourselves of such unreasonable do.  
4. If God once take us in hand, he will be known, and make us to know too, how sad and miserable a thing it is for us to ●●force him to cut us off, do we provoke him to jealousy, do we not rather provoke our own fouls to ruin: Oh remember! remember! if we have made him our adversary by sin, he is yet in the way, though he may be coming in judgement, yet he waits to be gracious he hath waited long, turn not his patience into fury, why should we be made like unto Shiloh: God is merciful, true, but he is just too, and he can make his wrath known, ask Shiloh else, and they can tell you a sad story of it: Look on Shiloh, Look on jerusalem, look on the multitude of desolate Churches, and take warning by these to fall down before God, to receive his reproofs; if you be wise, be wise for yourselves; turn to him, for why should ye die?   
ISAIAH. 26. 9 When thy Judgements are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness. 
THis Chapter is a Song, Celebrating the Praises of God, in his Judgements on his Enemies, and favours to his People; and is full of Spiritual matter.  
The Song is appointed to be Sung by the Faithful at their deliverance from the Babilonish Captivity. In this 9th verse. The Church Declares;  
1. Her own Frame under the Judgements of God: namely an Earnest and early Desire after him: In the night, Signifies in the dark and gloomy times of affliction, when they were under the Tyranny and Captivity of the Enemy, shut up as it were in darkness.  
2. What should be the Frame of all thate see or hear of God's terrible do in the world, it should teach them Righteousness: of which latter we may at this season make some improvement; and a little to open the Words.  
[When thy Judgements:, etc.] Judgements are Acts of Divine justice, Vindicative, all God's dispensations to the creature, are called either acts of Mercy or justice; Not as if there were a contradiction in these two; God is Just where he is Merciful, i. e. his being merciful doth not infringe or wrong his justice at all: and where God is Just, he is Merciful also, in this world; because his justice is here dispensed with moderation; though the time be coming when he will execute justice without mercy:  
But wherein any act of Divine Providence, one of these Attributes is more visible to the creature than the other, thence it receives its Denomination.  
Judgements, are Judicial acts of God's Senerity in the World, wherein he declares himself to be set against sin or sinners; Some translate it Chastizements: Judgement sometimes intent proper acts of Revenging justice; when God comes forth to right himself upon his enemies, in their wonderful destruction: Sometimes severe afflictions, though intended for the amendment of those who suffer them: the word signifies properly, a doing right.  
[Righteousness] The word signifies Truth and Equity: it is oftentimes in Scripture restrained to second Table duties, and then it is distinguished▪ from Holiness, which refers to first Table duties, but here, as in many other places, it is used more largely, to signify a reformation of Life, and universal Anastasy, or Reclaiming from their former sinful courses.  
[Will learn] This is spoken as if such an effect should come to pass in all that should see and hear of God's judgements; for the Scripture speaks of some, that when God's hand was upon them, they sinned yet more: thus Ahaz: 2 Chron. 28. 22. but it is spoken either,  
1. By way of Presumption, as if they should say, surely they will learn righteousness. or,  
2. Expressing what ought to be, as if it would be; such a thing should be, and if men were in a right frame, it would be: the meaning is, that there is matter enough in God's judgements to awaken the world to righteousness. Hence,  
Doct. The Judgements of God in the World carry along with them an universal awakening call to Righteousness. When God comes forth riding in his fiery Chariot, and dispenseth terrible things among the children of men, it sends forth a loud cry to the world to reform and amend their ways. By way of Explication, Consider a few things.  
First. All judgements are of God, it's said thy judgements, they come from him: here observe,  
1. Some judgements are more immediate, they come by an▪ unseen hand and in an unknown way, we see the effects, but are not able to tract them in their causes; of such as these, even an Egyptian Magician must say, lo the finger of God.  
2. Other judgements come mediately by the mediation or efficiency of Instruments, second causes are the next occasion of them, and these are either.  
1. Devils, who have a great stroke in many effects of providence, they come by Divine permission, God giving them a licence, so far as he sees meet for his own ends; and sometimes they come with a Commission from God on his errands, who shall for us persuade Ahab to go to Ramoth Gilead and fall? I, saith the Devils, go, saith God, and prosper, 1 Kings 22. 20. etc.  
2. Men, who are many times the means of bringing sore and sad calamities upon their fellow creatures, being used and improved by God to that end, by Wars, and desolations that follow thereupon, thus God used the Philistines, Syrians, Assyrians &c. to afflict Israel and Judah.  
3. Bruit beasts and unreasonable creatures, who serve their great Lord against man, when he rebels against God, which otherwise should have been subservient to him: thus the fiery Serpents in the wilderness, the two she Bears, to tear in pieces the mocking children, thus Locusts, Caterpillars, Palmer worms etc.  
4. Elements, Stars, Rivers, Vapours, Rain, Drought etc. the Stars fought in their course against Si●era, the brook Kishon swept▪ them away Judge 5.  
By all these means God may bring severe punishments upon the creature for his sin: but all these are from God, they are his Judgements, and come of his errand. This appears;  
1. From the Supreme Efficiency of God; all creatures move as they are moved by him: in the matter of the action, if he give not his Efficiency, they can do nothing at all: in him we live, mo●e and have our being: his Efficiency is the first mover, he is as it were the first wheel of the great clock of the world, or the spring of this watch: Second beings have an operation, but it hath an absolute dependence upon his Co-operation, so that if so much as a dog wag his tongue against us, there is not only Divine permission in it, but Divin Efficiency also.  
2. From his Providential Ordering of all the affairs of the world: God sits King upon the flood Psal. 29. 10. He is Sovereign disposet of all things, and therefore good and evil comes from him, whoever it be that doth it. Amos 3. 6. God saith David, bid Shemei curse.  
3. Because Prayer to God hath been the means of turning aside judgement, yea even then when Instruments have done their worst▪ the people of God in their distress. have but acquainted God with it, and sought him in the case, and the buisiness hath been done: thus David prays to God to turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness, and it's done; and he who formerly was looked upon to speak Oracles, is now disregarded: Hezekiah doth tell, go into the the house of God, and spread Rabshekah's raling letter before him and leaves the case with him; and the next news is, an Angel is sent from hearn, who slays in one night an hundred, fourscore and five thousand of his enemies, 2 Kings 19 35. Hence we have the Church's confidence in God's protection, enabling them to sound a challenge to their enemies to do their worst against them. Isa. 8. 9, 10. there is their boldness, God is with us.  
Secondly. All those acts of Divine Providence, wherein God discovers his severity in any degree against sin, are properly the Judgements of God: wherever God lays his heavy hand upon a people: whether.  
1. In Revenging himself upon his enemies, by cutting them off, or sorely visiting them.  
2. In Punishments and Chastisements upon his people, when for their amendment he brings disappointments and afflictions upon them, for in both these God doth 1. Show himself set against sin: 2. Do right.  
Thirdly, Judgements are either  
1. Mere ordinary dispensations of Divine Providence, such as are more common; as the usual afflictions which God brings upon any in way of penalty, viz. Sicknesses, Crosses, Losses, Poverty, Disgrace, Rain, Famine, Pestilence, etc. these are Gods usual Scourges. Or  
2. More extraordinary, when some remarkable providence that is not usual doth befall any, such Casualties ●● are more rare and unfrequent, such as Possession by Devils, Deaths by Thunder and Lightning, and the like.  
Fourthly, Juagements are either  
1. Private and Personal, when God shows his severity upon persons or families, who are singled out from others to be the subjects of affliction. Or  
2. General and Epidemical Visitations, when God comes and brings a scourge upon a Country or a People.  
Fifthly, Judgements are either  
1. Outward, when the next and immediate subject they se●● upon▪ is men's Bodies or Estates, and damnify them in either. Or  
2. Spiritual, when they seize upon men's Souls and Spirits; as Distractions, Desperations, etc. I mention these distinctions, partly th●● we may be the better directed to a careful observance, that we may discover God coming in his several awful dispensations upon us▪ and partly because we may improve some of them in the Application▪  
Sixthly, All Judgements whatsoever, and in what way soever they come, are Doctrinal, they bring instruction and teaching along with them, to those that either see or hear of them: they are speaking Providences.  
Here consider, 1. That they are Doctrinal. 2. How far they are so.  
I. That all Judgements are Doctrinal, will appear, if we consider,  
First, that Judgements in relation to the subject of them, are acts of the Sovereign Justice of God. There are two things in this Position.  
1. They are Acts of Justice, because God visits none beyond their sins desert:  Gods dealing be to any, he will vindicate him▪ self that he doth them no wrong, there is sin enough in the creature to make him to justify God when he judgeth, Psal. 51. 3, 4. Job 40. 4, 5.  
2. They are Acts of Sovereign Justice: which appears, because God doth not visit all alike in the world, whose sins are alike, but picks and chooseth as he sees meet, some to be monuments of his severity, whiles others are left. God's Sovereignty herein appears, because he follows no other Rule but his own pleasure, in making choice whom to dispense Judgements, and whom to leave; so that sometimes he leaves, and lets alone, such as have been greater sinners in many aggravating respects, whiles he takes others that have not been so notorious: and therefore our Saviour Christ, to them enquiring about the man born blind, removes the cause from them to God's Sovereignty, Joh. 9 2, 3.  
Secondly, they naturally teach these lessons:  
1. That God is a just God, that he is set against sin, and will not always bear with sinners: days of patience make sinners forget, yea Atheistically think God is not holy and just; but he is known in his Judgements, these are beginning discoveries before the great and general Assizes.  
2. That God will sooner or later be revenged upon sinners: every monument of Divine Revenge lectures out what others may look for and expect at the hands of God. God's Judgements declare that sin shall not always go unpunished, that though there be a day of forbearance, yet there shall also be a day wherein they shall receive their wages.  
3. That there shall be a great Day of Judgement: for if some sinners are here taken, and others in this world forborn, according to the pleasure of Gods Sovereign will, this shows that there must be another day above and besides all these Judgement-dayes, wherein God sits upon some sinners in this world.  
4. That there is no security in a state of sin, though we are not such notorious sinners as others, yet are we under sin; we lie open and liable to the Judgements of God, and may as soon as others be made monuments of it. It is no cloak to say, I am not as ●ad as such and such: Art thou out from the promise of God's special grace? thou art every day open to Judgement.  
5. That there is no safety but in making our peace with God: if ●●od sway the S●epter, and act his own pleasure upon sinners, we are in a dangerous state▪ as long as we are not agreed with him, but have him for our adversary. And hence the conclusion is to teach men righteousness, to forsake those sins that are provoking to God, and lay hold upon him in a way of true Repentance, in time, for his mercy, lest we also be made monuments of his wrath: this is the voice of all the Judgements of God which they speak to the world.  
II. How far they are Doctrinal: This is considerable, either in respect of  
1. The Judgements themselves. All Judgements serve to teach, they have a voice in them, but some cry louder than others. There is a voice in common calamities and disappointments, but a louder voice in extraordinary Judgements; Natural causes bring awful Judgements, but more awful when they are Preternatural; every sickness and disease, every cross and loss speaks, but when God goes out of the ordinary path, here is a more awakening Call. In a word, the more stupendious and admirable the Providence is, the louder is the voice of God, and more clear to be heard, for then the Lion roars, Amos 38.  
2. Of the Places wherein they are:  
(1.) Judgements remote have a voice to us, let them be never so far off, if we have any cognizance of them, for the Text limits it to no narrower bounds than the World.  
(2.) But Judgements near are more loud: when a fire is in our neighbour's house, it than bids us to look about us to secure our own.  
(3.) But Judgements at h●me are most loud of all, in our Town, o● in our Families, for then God eries among us, yea the stroke of his Rod is upon us, and therefore its high time for ●very one to see to himself.  
3. In respect of Senses:  
(1.) Judgements heard of are awful, for this is a great sense of discipline. But  
(2.) Judgements seen and felt are more dreadful and awakening; and the Reason is, Because these Senses are more intelligent, and less fallacious: we may question the truth of reports, but what we see and feel we have less cause to suspect. If any Sense can inform without fallacy, it is these: as also these are the most affecting Senses, The eye affects the heart, much more than when the hand of God lies heavy upon a person.  
Seventhly, It is the will and command of God that his Judgements should 〈◊〉 men righteousness.  
Reas. 1. Because he singles out some to show his judgements upon, and takes not all sinners as he might do: this shows that God would have men improve this day of his patience to Repentance. God hath Pleas enough against others, and might have executed his wrath on them, but when he does not, he shows that he would have others to get good by it.  
Reas. 2. Because God in his Word calls men to consider and observe his Judgements; he declares it to be his will, that when he visits any in severity for their sins, All Israel should hear, and fear, and do no more so. When God would reclaim Judah from their vain confidence, and awaken them to repentance, he sends them to Shiloh, to see what wastes and desolations he had there made, Jer. 7. 12.  
Reas. 3. Because none of God's Providences are in vain, God doth nothing in the wo●ld to no purpose.  
Reas. 4. Because God does▪ by hsi awakening Judgements teach them he intends good to: David professeth, Thy judgements make me afraid, i. e. afraid to sin, a●raid to be licentious and remiss in my life and ways.  
Reas. 5. Because God doth charge the neglect of this duty upon Judah as a great, grievous, and provoking sin: when he had executed his judgements upon her sister Aholah (Israel, the Ten Tribes) that Aholi●ah (Judah) held on her own old courses of sin, and was no whit affected therewithal, nor did by it learn to amend, Ezek. 23.  
Use I. Of Information of our judgements in divers things▪  
1. That Afflictions and Calamities are not by casualty, they are Gods Judgements, ordered and foredetermined by him; not a Sparrow falls to the ground without him: and therefore let it teach us not to slight them, or look upon them in a negligent manner, as things that come promiscuously, and imprudently to pass, but by the wise disposal of God. See God in all that falls out in the world, and adore him.  
2. That it is our duty to look beyond Instruments in every Judgement that befalls us. It is true, Instruments are some of them rational, some are irrational; and hence some Instruments may be blameworthy, may justly be accused▪ and if God give opportunity, may in a way of Equity be proceede● against: but we must not rest in the malice of Instruments, but look ●urther, and see the hand of God▪ its a foolish dog that runs after the stone, and minds not the hand that threw it. If we look upon the most rational Instruments, as they be in the ●ands of God, and consider them as under his Sovereign disposal, they are no more then as an Axe or Knife, or any other instrument in the hands of a man: The Assyrian ●y rod Isa. 10. 5. Hence God is nevertheless to be seen for the malice or spite of the creature, because he improves even the wrath of man to his praise, and the remainder of wrath he restrains. Learn we hence in all the Judgements that befall us, not so much to say what means the instrument, but what provokes God, though Syrian before and Philistim behind, yet let Israel return to God that s●ites him.  
3. That times wherein God brings his Judgements among a people, are solemntimes, and aught to be entertained with solemnity; they are times of serious consideration, Hag. ● 5. and humiliation. God when he visits a people in Judgement, bids blow the trumpet, call a solemn assembly, return to the Lord with weeping, wailing, and lamentation, Joel 2. 1, 2, 13. We are not therefore before God this day in this solemn duty, uncalled for▪  
4. That no person that sees or hears of God's Judgements is unconcerned: if he be an inhabitant of this world, there is a voice to him. Learn we therefore to have a care of disinteresting ourselves, or saying, What relation hath this or that to me?  
5. That the more of God's Judgements have been among a people, the more God will have against them, if they repent not; God will have despised Judgements to lay to their charge: it will be an heavy aggravation of such a people's sin, that they have not only had and enjoyed Gods Ordinances among them, but those backed with his Truth-confirming Providences, speaking once and again, speaking to many Senses at once, and yet they have got nothing by them; this is an argument of an exceeding hard heart. God's Judgements in this world, i● we repent not, will not mitigate but increase our judgements and woes in another.  
Use▪ II. For Reproof. And here let me come home in this Use an● the next, to the case and providence which hath occasioned this day's solemnity, the awful Judgement of God that is among us: and the Reproof is, That the Judgements of God that have befallen us, and in particular this great Judgement, is no more nor better made use of by us then it is. Let this consideration have its weight in humbling us this day before God.  
1. We may all chide with our own hearts, that we are no more affected with it, that there is so much ice and coldness in us, that our affections are scarce warmed with such a providence; we may lay our hands upon our mouths, and be angry with ourselves, that we find such a chillness upon our affections. But  
2. Particularly, those deserve a Reproof,  
First, That make all their application to those whom the Judgement is upon: Oh the spirit of censure that is in too many, and there they rest; Surely there is some special reason, some more than ordinary provocation, why else is God come out upon that Family, rather than upon any other Family? I do not here speak to make those whom the Judgement nextly concerns, to be regardless of God's hand upon them; no, let them know that God calls them into the School of Search, and would have them in particular try what is the meaning of his so severe coming out against them, that they may learn to sit in silence, and justify him: But I speak to others, who are apt to judge of persons by providences, though Scripture teacheth us that all things fall out alike unto all. And therefore let such consider,  
1. This practice is contrary to our Saviour's precept, who admonisheth others by such providences to learn this lesson, that except they repent, they shall likewise perish, Luke 13. 2, 3. it seems personal application suits better, it's the wisest way to bring all things home to our own Souls; that might be profitable to us.  
2. This is to forget our own sinfulness: whiles we judge and censure others, we do tacitly justify ourselves, and think ourselves better than others; we interpret our merit rather than God's mercy to be the distinguishing cause: and is not this to lift up ourselves too high?  
3. This is to forget divine Sovereignty: God all this while is not adored by us in his Supreme uncontrollable disposal which he hath of all creatures, to lay his hand where he pleaseth, without giving account to the creature. Consider well with thyself, and it may be thou hast been ten times a greater sinner, if all the circumstances of aggravation were well pondered and weighed, but God for ends best known to himself hath thus dealt.  
4. This is the way to rob God of the glory of his goodness to thee in preserving thee from this sad Calamity, whereas if thou reflect inward, thou mightest see so much of provocation in thy own heart, and so many grievous obliquities and wander, that it would set thee into a rapture of admiration, at the unspeakable favour which appears in thy preservation, who mightest have been chosen in the room of this person, to have been hung up as a sign, and a wonder, and an astonishment, for others with sad hearts to have looked upon.  
5. This is not to learn Righteousness; for that is only by drawing conclusions home to ourselves, and making the case our own: yea, this is a way to harden our hearts in wickedness. Let us therefore learn to make a better use of this tremendous Providence.  
Secondly, Those that look not beyond Instruments. There is a great deal of enquiry made about the Devil's agency, and raising of Spirits against such as we are ready to think may be his subservient actors in this case, but how many are there that look no further. Consider,  
1. This is to forget the Supremacy of Divine Providence; we do not remember that God sits and rules over Men and Devils, and that in such an uncontrollable manner, that Earth and Hell cannot move to any act upon the creature, unless he permit them.  
2. It tends to hinder the right efficacy of this Judgement upon the Soul; for it raiseth; and humbles not the Soul of the creature: it is the way to provocation and exasperation, to bitterness and rage, from the consideration of the virulency of the enemy, and that we have not deserved it at their hands, etc. whereas if we looked beyond these, to God the prime Efficient, it would teach us silence, and holy submission: I was dumb, etc. because thou didst it, Psal. 39 9  
Thirdly, Those that look upon the Providence with slighty and common affections, whose hearts are not awed by it, but look upon it as a matter of little or no concernment, are as jocund, as vain, as light, as frothy as ever they were: there are too many of these. Consider,  
1. This argues that God is not feared by such hearts, those that fear not God in his Judgements, especially in such Judgements, may well be thought not to fear him at all. Assure thyself if this Providence, so solemn, have left no impression upon thee, thou hast a heart as hard as a rock.  
2. It is impossible that such should learn Righteousness: the Affections are the feet of the Soul, if these move not, there is little good to be hoped for in such an one, and therefore never look that such should get any good by it.  
Fourthly, Those that have lost their Affections: it may be many were at the first, at the newness and strangeness of the sight and spectacle, filled for a season with consternation; but now they are gotten to their old wont again, and recovered their frights and amusements, dried up their tears, and wiped their eyes, and they are where they were before: this shows that this Judgement had no depth of efficacy upon your souls, it was only something external; it shows what your nature is. Oh, that's of a cold nature indeed, that will freeze while the fire is under it. Let all such consider, that they contemn God, and harden their own hearts, and if he do not wonderfully set in it will be to their own destruction.  
Use III. For Exhortation and Direction. Oh let it be an awakening word of Counsel to us all. We are now come together to affect our souls with this stupend Judgement of God which is among us, the Lord in mercy grant that it may teach us Righteousness; the voice of God cries aloud by it to this poor Town in a special manner, the Lord give us an hearing ear: let it be our great request, that he would boar our ear to instruction, that it may not pass by without doing us true and saving good. For Motive:  
1. Let us consider the awfulness of the Judgement itself: this is none of those ordinary dispensations of God's Providence which are frequent and usual in the world, to be sure not among us; it is no common sickness and calamity, and yet if it had been no more it had been our duty to have wisely considered it, and given attention to the voice of it; but it is extraordinary and stupendious: it is not usual for God to give Satan such liberty and power, so to rack and torture, so to hurry and perplex poor creatures, and therefore something is in special to be learned by us, when God thus leaves the common tract, and comes in so unwonted a way of Judgement.  
2. Consider how nearly we are related unto it above other in the Land: there is a voice in it to the whole Land, but in a more especial manner to poor 〈◊〉; it is not a Judgement afar off, but it is near us, yea among us, God hath in his wisdom singled out this poor Town out of all others in this Wilderness, to dispense such an amazing Providence in, and therefore let us make a more near and special use of it: Let us look upon ourselves to be set up as a 〈◊〉 upon a Hill by this Providence, and let those that hear what hath been done among us, hear also of the good effects, and reformation it hath wrought among us.  
3. Consider what advantage we have above others to be affected with it: others indeed may hear of it, relations may be carried from one place to another, and that may affect, yet not so much as when it is seen. Why, we may say as Job, I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees thee. Reports may be carried various, and that may wound a great part of the credit of it abroad in the world, as not knowing how or where to fasten their belief; however, when never so truly reported, it cannot carry the life of the thing with it: but we have seen, yea seen such things as one would think might melt, or break an heart of stone; we may carry about with us every day, the very pourtraicture of those Hellish and Diabolical Cruelties, those strange Gestures, those dreadful Voices: and therefore if we be not awed and affected by it, who should?  
4. Consider how said it will be for us, if we be not awed and affected with this Judgement, if we learn nothing by it: Oh how much will God have against us, above others! the nearer he hath come to us, and the more we are concerned in it, and the louder the Cry hath been to us, will all have their particular weight to increase our condemnation, God will lay every circumstance to our charge, and as he hath singularly revealed his mind to us in it, so he will have a singular provocation by it. Oh! little do we know how much this providence slighted and misimproved will add to the weight of our sins, and increase of our woes. Let it then be a solemn lesson to teach us Righteousness. For Direction:  
First, Let us all in general learn something by it, let it afford us some practical conclusions, which may be for our use and benefit to instruct and teach us in ways of Righteousness; namely,  
1. Learn by it that Satan is busy in places of Gospel light, to seduce and draw away Souls from attending the means of grace. The Light of the Gospel doth not clear and free places from Satan or his bold Temptations, these infernal Spirits of darkness will come thither, and there endeavour to raise mists and fogs to seduce souls; and therefore let us learn not to live securely under the enjoyment of the Gospel of grace, but to spend our time of sojourning her● in holy fear.  
2. That there is no place free, no not the House of God from Satan's Temptations: when thou art in God's House, and thy bodily presence to attend the Ordinances, the dispensing of the Gospel, Satan will come thither, as he often did to this poor creature, he will do all he can to steal away thy mind and meditation, he will begin a parley with thee that shall last as long as the Sermon, and thou shalt go away without receiving one word of instruction. Oh how can he please thy fancy, and delude thy soul! and therefore let it awaken thee to be careful to keep thy foot when thou comest to the house of God, if thou wouldst not offer the sacrifice of fools, Eccles. 5. 1. The feet of the soul are the Affections, learn to be more watchful over them, to keep them from wand'ring, lest Satan meet and make a prey of them, and so st●al away the seed of the Word from thee.  
3. That discontent lays us exceeding open to the assaults of Satan, and gives him more than ordinary advantage to make discoveries of himself to us: little do we know how we do as it were invite the Devil by it. In any Government, discontented persons are fittest for Traitors to work upon: by discontent we discover a weariness of God's Government, and therefore Satan is emboldened by it to come, yea to make his Apparitions, and strike in to the drawing over of poor creatures to enter a Covenant of Rebellion with him, and a wonder it is if any at such a time escape. Learn we therefore to be more watchful over our own hearts, beware how we give any way to secret uprisings against the Providence of God.  
4. That this world would be a sad place to live in, if it were not for God's overruling Providence. Oh how busy is the Devil, that great Adversary of Souls! and how full is he of Cruelty! did not God restrain his rage, he would soon make poor Mortals incapable of living here below: By the Claw you may judge of the Lion. We find in Jobs case, he goes to the outside of his Commission: and here you have a lively spectacle of his venom and spite; Oh then let it awaken us to see by whom we are every day preserved and protected from the rage of Devils, God only: Alas! what were we in the hands of these infernal Powers, if God's Omnipotency did not restrain them. Let this make God more glorious in our eyes.  
5. That there is no safety but under the wings of the Lord Jesus Christ: he only is the strong man that can secure us from the possession of Satan. Satan rules and reigns in this world, and you see how much power he holds over the children of disobedience. And therefore learn hence both to bless God for Christ Jesus, who came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil; had he not come to set up his Kingdom in this world, the Devil would have reigned Lord and King in all Souls, he only is able to dispossess the strength, and uncastle the Powers of Hell: as also to fly under the wings of this Redeemer for safeguard, that we may be freed from these cruel Enemies.  
6. That visible Privileges are no security from Satan: it's not enough to be baptised with water, un●●●s we be also baptised with the holy Ghost, and with fire; it's not enough to be a Member of the visible Church, if we be not also of Christ's invisible Flock: Satan is not te●●ified by these outward things, he is not afraid to assault those that are Christ's nominally, and to endeavour to make them his own really. Let it teach us then to beware that we trust not in lying words, have a care of crying The Temple of the Lord; Satan desires no better advantage upon us, then to draw us to rest secure upon this bottom. Bless God for our Privileges, but rest not in them; prise, but do not deify them, if you would not be made the prey of Satan.  
2ly, Let us all in particular learn righteousness by this monument that is before us, let it awaken us all to reform our hearts and lives, to be more careful to and over ourselves for the time to come; let it indeed appear that we have been proficients in this School of God's Judgements, that God hath brought Correction and Teaching together, that so in the winding up it may be found an happy Judgement. Let us therefore apply it to ourselves in our particular respects.  
I. Let it be a Doctrinal Providence to Young and Old.  
First, To you that are Elder, and more grown up in years, let it awaken you.  
1. Consider how many more provocations God hath had from you, than he hath had from this poor creature; how many more Ordinances and Providences have attended upon you, than ever did upon her; think how long you have lived in God's world, and yet have done him little or no service since you came into it: and therefore let this awaken you to see how it stands with you, how the matter goes between God and your Souls, whether you are secure under his wings, and at peace with him. When you see one so much younger than you thus visited, Oh think upon what ground you stand, fear the like or worse, if you are yet in an uncertain state. Let it in a special manner awaken old ones to make their calling and election sure, considering how much danger you are in.  
2. Let it teach you how much you have had of the patience of God exercised towards you, that God hath born with and forborn you so long; you have lived a great while longer in the world, and it may be have been more enormous and flagitious in your lives-thenever this poor creature was: possibly you have lived in scandalous sins, and grievous pollutions: if you should consider, and ask a Reason why God hath taken her and not taken you, you may see and say, that if God had gone according to outward appearance, or extremity of rigour, there had been transcendently more ground why he should have come upon you. Oh then, when you see one so young, and one not observed to be guilty of any flagitious crimes taken, while you are by God's goodness spared, learn to admire at, and worship the patience of God towards you.  
3. Let it therefore teach you to amend your ways, and reform your lives, and that speedily: it may be a great argument to quicken you up no longer to use delays, nor put off God coming to you in his Word, and persuading you by his Spirit to repent and return to him. Oh see in this lecture upon what slippery and dangerous ground you stand, and have stood all this while, and if God had been severe towards you, you had not had this opportunity of being called to Repentance; and then learn to shake off all delays, to put by all excuses, and bless God that you yet have an opportunity.  
Secondly, You that are Young ones, behold here one of your Tribe and Form, as I may say, one of your own years picked out of you by the wise Providence of God, to be made an object of God's severity, and man's pity. Out of doubt there is an especial Cry to you Young ones, to Remember your Creator in the days of your youth: you have been often counselled and admonished in the House of God, yea earnestly and compassionately entreated to devote your young time to God, to give up the prime of your years to him; but you have slighted and disregarded such Counsels and Calls, and have taken up firm resolutions that you would have your childish and youthful vanities, let God by his Messenger say what he would to you: Well, now God hath singled you out in his Providence, and thunders out his mind to you in this sad Object, and what do you now say to it? will you hear God's voice, or will you forbear? are you still resolved in your vain courses, or will you learn Righteousness? if you would but incline your ears, you might here observe God speaking something to you.  
1. Learn, that there is no safety in dallying with the Spirit of God; who comes early to bespeak your Souls for God. God shows that he hath a quarrel with the Youth for slighting and despising Counsels and Reproofs; he would that you should know he is in haste for an answer, and will not wait long if you trifle away your time: God looks that where there is so much of Gospel light● and so many endeavours used by Church and Commonwealth for the instruction of Youth in the Ways of God, there should be answerable improvement made, and will have you to know that his patience will not wait so long as in places of ignorance. Let it therefore teach you to beware how you presume upon hereafter, and promising yourselves that there is time enough, you may follow your vain courses yet a little longer: W●●les you are thinking it is too soon to repent and amend, how soon may God come and declare that it is too late, that his patience is spent, and there is no more room left for Repentance.  
2. That either God or the Devil will have your young time: you are here at your choice, God by his Word and Spirit is tendering you to receive you into his service, and declaring how acceptable and pleasing it will be to him, but if you will not give your time to him, you will to a worse Master, the Devil stands waiting, yea endeavouring for you, and if God's yoke please you not, he will easily persuade you to take his; and though that may seem delightful for the present, yet know it, it will be bitterness in the latter end.  
3. That if Young ones will not have Christ to reign over them, he may give them over into the hands and power of Satan: if Christ's sweet government do not please you, you shall be left under the tyranny and cruelty of the Devil. Oh then learn hence not to despise and contemn the Calls of the Gospel, lest God come out in Judgement against you, and put you into the everlasting possession of that cruel Enemy of your Souls.  
II. Let this Providence teach both Parents and Children: Here is something for both.  
First, Let it be a teaching Providence to you that are Parents, do you learn Lessons of Righteousness by it.  
1. Let it affect you with the dangerous case and state of your poor children's Souls: here you may see how open they are by nature to Satan's temptations, how they every day go in danger of those sly and subtle assaults of this politic enemy of their Souls: let this lie near your hearts.  
2. Hence let this teach you to be careful in Educating them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, which is the only way and means to prevent this adversary. If you have hitherto been remiss, learn now to be more careful and vigilant about it, let it be a quickening providence to rouse you up from this neglect, by teaching you the great weight of the duty, even of as much moment as the precious lives of their poor souls.  
3. Let it teach you to begin with them betimes, do not defer instructing of them too long; you see Satan will set upon them early, he will not delay long before he comes and useth his endeavours to draw your children's souls away after him: and therefore if you would prevent him, do not you delay, but be dropping in instruction as they are able, and as soon as they are able to understand any thing.  
4. Whithersoever they go, bear a holy jealousy over them, lest they should offend God, and provoke him to leave them to the Devil: you cannot be always with them, nor constantly have them under your eye, but wherever they be, be sure let your hearts go along with them, have a righteous fear concerning them: you see Satan is ready to take all occasions to insinuate himself into them, and therefore for aught you know they may have the Devil in their company. let that direct your souls to heaven for them, that God would look to them, and preserve them: Job offers Sacrifice for his Children, when met in lawful recreation, lest they had sinned, and cursed God in their hearts, Job 1. 5.  
5. Be more watchful over them hereafter, than you have been heretofore; have a care of letting them have their swing●, to go and come where and when they please, and especially in the night; be sure take an account of their business, and hold your Parental Authority over them, keep them within their bounds, you had better bear their hard thoughts of you now, then see them made vassals of Satan, and left up to God's Judgements. If your Children resist or contemn your Authority, the Will of God is that you should not bear with them, nor spare them; it is a great deal better they should live in Bridewell under restraint, then in your Families at their liberty.  
6. See to your own lives, that they be exemplary to your Children, if you teach them never so carefully, yet if you unteach them again by your vain conversation before them, its little the better: think how much advantage you put into Satan's hands against your Children, to draw them into sin by your example, he knows well enough what a taking argument this is with Children.  
7. Rest not satisfied, but be constant and earnest with God for your Children till you see Christ form in them, as knowing that till than they are in Satan's Kingdom, and under his Jurisdiction. Oh what bowels of affection, what earnest requests might this providence arm us withal! how strong might it make us with God for our Children! O pity them in a state of unregeneracy Christless souls are naked souls, and therefore lie open to the enemy; cease not therefore night nor day begging for them. See in this providence their danger, and let it quicken you to importunacy.  
Secondly, Children do you learn something hence also.  
1. Learn to hearken to the loving and wholesome Counsels of your Parents, and not to slight or despise their Admonitions and Reproofs. You see here how open you are to Satan's assaults, and if you will not hear God speaking to you by your Parents, it is just with God to leave you to the Devil, to hear him: know it, when your Parents speak to you, and advise you for your good, God speaks to you by them, and if your eye despise them, God may suffer these infernal Ravens and Eagles to pick it out, and ●at it. One would think this Monument might make you fear and tremble.  
2. Learn hence not to trust to your Parent's Covenant, or to think that you shall be saved by their Faith, or by it secured from Satan: it is true, you may far the better by them and for them, but if you rest upon their godliness for your security, you are deceived: you may be the natural Children of godly Parents, and yet the spiritual Children of the Devil, Joh. 8. 43, 44. Know it, it is not enough to be the Children of godly Parents, unless you do inherit their graces: seek therefore that, or else Satan hath you at his beck.  
3. Rest not upon your Parents Prayers; think it not enough that your godly Parents pray for you to God, and therefore you are safe: true, Parents Prayers are a great benefit to Children, but if they be trusted to, they will prove a mere delusion. Abraham prays for Ishmael, but he prays not for himself: God may answer your Parents Prayers in another way, they shall not lose them, but yet if you rest there, they may but increase your woes. Let this therefore call upon you to make your own peace.  
4. Learn to obey your Parents in all their lawful Commands, and that in obedience unto God: acknowledge their authority and jurisdiction over you, and though they restrain you from that which you may think to be a lawful liberty, yet be obedient in all things lawful, for though the thing be a matter indifferent, yet if you disobey and displease your Parents in it, be sure you lay yourselves open to Satan.  
III. Let it teach both the Regenerate, and Unregenerate.  
First, You that are Regenerated, and brought home to God, you may learn something here.  
1. Let this providence teach you to magnify God's grace, that hath taken you out of Satan's Kingdom, and translated you into the Kingdom of his own Son.  we see any left by God, and in any ways in the hand of Satan, and under his power, how should it fill us with God-glorifying thoughts, at the consideration of his wonderful love to us. Now is a time to consider who made the difference between two pieces of the same clay, to remember how opposite we were to any saving good, what pains God took with us, what persuasions he used, and how contumeliously we often handled his Spirit; to consider that if his love had not carried him against our hatred, had not he pitied us, when we did not, could not pity ourselves, we had yet to this day been under the dominion of Hell.  
2. Let it awaken you to walk worthy of your vocation; you now see your calling, you are called one of Satan's kingdom, you are delivered from the powers of darkness, labour then to walk no longer in the vanity of your minds: Are you Gods Children? Live in holiness, 1 Pet. 1. 14, etc. Oh that this Providence might awaken those that have given up themselves to God and his Service, to consider whether we have not too much gratified Satan, by being too light, too vain, too excessive in taking liberty in worldly mirth and vanity, too little spiritual in our course and conversation among men. Let it then be a word of Warning to us to be more serious and cautious to ourselves and ways for the time to come.  
3. Let it move in you earning bowels of compassion towards those that are yet in Satan's Kingdom, and under his spiritual Jurisdiction: you may here see a little, though but a little, yet so much appears here visible and demonstrative, as may give a glimpse of discovery how sad and doleful the condition of poor unregenerate sinners is, who are spiritually possessed by Satan. Let it then rouse up in you bowels of pity, when you look in the faces of any such, let it make you to mourn over them, and pray for them, and counsel and advise them as God gives you opportunity, that if it may be, you may be helpful to their escape out of the paws of the devouring Lion.  
4. Let it awaken you to watch your ways and actions, to be careful to your lives and courses, how you carry it before them who are yet in their vanity, lest Satan make you his Stales to allure poor souls by. If the Devil can belie the people of God to encourage others to hearken to him, be sure he will make his market of your failings, negligent walkings, and whatsoever is done amiss by you at one time or other, to draw others more seariesly after him; and will it not be a sad thing that souls should follow Satan to their eternal ruin and perdition, and you the live-birds that have drawn them into this net? For the Lords sake, for the love you bear to poor souls, if there be any pity, any compassion, any desire to God's glory, or others Salvation, look to your ways, and see they be exemplary.  
Secondly, You that are Unregenerate, labour to hear the voice of God in this Providence, and learn by it.  
1. Let this Example teach you how cruel a Master you serve: you see here, that Satan (whatever pretences he makes, and fair promises he seeks to delude poor souls withal) is in his heart set against all mankind, and he seeks only to destroy them; and if once God lets him lose, and gives him liberty, he will soon show his own nature, and give evidence of his Cruelty. This you have seen is but a little of that bitter spite he will exercise upon those who shall be wholly delivered into his hands. You have little cause to boast of your condition, it's a cruel bondage, you are in the hands of one whose tender mercies are cruelty. Oh that this might make you weary of Satan's government, that it might make you begin to discover his policies, and flee from him.  
2. Let it show you the great danger you go in every hour of being made a prey to Satan. Consider how ready this Adversary is to fasten his Talons upon poor creatures, if God permit him: and consider that thou hast no security, no ground to promise thyself that God will defend thee from him, no not for a moment, it is God's goodness that▪ he hath hitherto afforded thee his protection, but thou hast no promise that he will continue it: Yea consider, how many Calls and Counsels, how many Providences and Ordinances thou hast despised, how often God hath come to thee, and wooed earnestly for thy soul, used heart-breaking entreaties with thee, endeavouring to insinuate himself into thy very soul, and yet thou hast hardened thy heart against all, and resolutely refused: think then, what hast thou to say for thyself why thou mayest not speedily hear God say to the Devil, Take the full and everlasting possession of such a soul? and what will become of thee then?  
3. Hence let it be a loud Cry to you to Repentance: You have had many Cries in your ears from the Word, but you have not believed the report which Gods Messengers have brought. Oh that you would believe when God adds such a Confirmation to the truth of his Word! read your own state in this poor Monument, and think by what you see in her, what is like to become of you in the state you are in; harken, and you may heat God crying to you by her, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  
Lastly, let me return once again to all that are here in God's presence this day to humble themselves before him: learn we hence, for this day, and henceforward, these two Lessons.  
1. Let us all examine by this Providence what sins they have been, that have given Satan so much footing in this poor place: sure the voice of God is loud to us, and bids us to bring this matter upon search; for though God be Sovereign. yet it is to us a time of Consideration when God's hand is out against us, Hag. 1. 7. Let it then bring us upon a serious Trial of ourselves and ways, that we may be able to trace God in his Providence, and acknowledge his righteous Judgements; let us ask whether our Contentions have not set open this door, and invited Satan in? I am sure these carry a very great resemblance of the Devils Cloven Foot. Have not our Heart-Divisions grieved away the Spirit of God, and given Satan this advantage? I am sure they leave a people faulty, Hos. 10 2. and therefore lay them open to severe punishments: these have been too general sins, and what have been in particular? What a deal of Worldly-mindedness in the elder sort? the vanity and looseness in the younger, increased to such a height of impudence. Let me add, the general light esteem there hath been among us of God's holy and precious Ordinances, and contempt of his Messengers: these are crying sins, and therefore may well be answered with loud-speaking Providences.  
2. Let us all join heart and hand to drive this Enemy out again. Let that be our great business this day to implore God, and beg his assistance and direction in so great a Work as this is; and let us forthwith set upon it, and follow it might and main: and that in repentance of, and humiliation for what is past, and reformation for the f●ture, let us search and try our ways▪ and turn again to the Lord; Let us lay aside Envy and Malice, throw down our Contention & Strife, and take up Peace and Love. Let the Aged reform their Earthly-mindedness, and the Youth their Vanity, their Nightwalkings, and me●ry Drinking-meetings; let the Judgements of God awe our hearts, and leave such impressions behind them, as may powerfully lead us in ways of Righteousness, that God may delight to dwell among us, and tread Satan under our feet.   
ISAIAH 21. 11, 12. 11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of S●ir, Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? 12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. 
Time's of public Calamity, either felt, or justly feared, are trying Times; these do call in a solemn manner for Consideration, and especially to inquire into the Causes, and bethink of the sad Events. This is New▪ England's day, wherein God hath at least taken the Rod into his hand, and is showing some part of his severity toward us; and though he mix it with much moderation, yet there is a great deal of bitterness in the Cup: 'tis time therefore humbly to inquire into the grounds, and consider of the Consequences of these Calamities. The Text before us may afford us something by way of Instruction and Direction in this enquiry.  
The words are a Prophecy against Dumah, delivered by way of Question and Answer.  
The Question is propounded ver. 11.  
The Answer is short, full, and sharp, ver. 12.  
The meaning of the words take up as they come to be handled in particular.  
The burden] i. e. A Prophecy containing Threaten of Wrath, and Predictions of Misery: an ordinary phrase it is among the Prophets, to express any Vision of sad consequence. See Chap. 13. 1. and this Chapter, ver. 1, 13. and therefore the Prophet interprets the sense of the word, ver. 2. An hard Vision. See also 2 Kings 9 25. Jer. 23. 33. and elsewhere. Hence  
Doct. The denunciations of God's wrath against a sinning people ●s a Burden, a thing heavy and grievous. In divers considerations.  
1. They are a burden to God's Messengers; i. e. grievous and hard to them, their spirits are oppressed, and many times even overwhelmed within them, to forethink of the message they have to deliver.  
Se● ver. 3, 4. Chap 15. 5. & 16. 9 Jer. 48. 31, 32. & 4. 19, 20.  
2. They are a burden to the People to whom they are sent. This in two respects:  
(1.) They are a burden of grief and sorrow to the godly, who hear and fear, Hab. 3. 16.  
(2.) Of indignation to the wicked, who cannot endure so much as to hear of them, the very Threatening is to them intolerable, Amos 7. 10. 2 Chron. 36. 16. Jer. 26. 8, 9  
3. In some sense they are a burden to God, who speaking after the manner of men, expresseth a rel●●●ing at the very mention of it, Hos. 11. 8. 9  
4. A burden in the Effects of them, or matter of Threatening contained in them, which is fore and heavy to bear: Context, ver. 2.  
The Reasons are:  
1. Of the first; From the sympathetical compassionateness of God's Messengers towards their fellow-creatures, there is a Philanthropy, A love of man naturally in man, this is increased by grace: this we see eminent in Paul, Rom. 9 1. and Moses, Blot me rather out of thy book.  
2. Of the second; From the sense of the severity of God's displeasure in the godly, and hence it produceth sorrow for their sins.  
(1.) It brings sin to mind, which is the Cause, Psal. 25. 17, 18.  
(2.) The people of God know what a sad thing it is to have to do with an angry God, Psal. 76. 7.  
3. Of the third; From the pride of heart which is in the wicked, Jer. 43. 2. they are too good to be reproved, will not hear by reason of the height of their spirits, think so well of themselves, that they cannot believe that God is displeased at them.  
4. Of the fourth; From the compassions of God towards poor sinners, he herein discovers his merciful Nature, Hos. 11. 8.  
5. Of the fifth; From the averseness of the nature of man from sorrows and miseries: they are against our nature, and therefore must needs be burdensome; yea they are Punishments, and are therefore grievous.  
Use I. See here a Reason why Gods Warnings▪ and Threaten find no more welcome, and why plain Preaching Minister● are hated: sinning man is gotten above warning, though by our sins we are pulling down Gods Judgements upon ou● heads, all this is nothing, but he that tells us plainly of them, and represents the anger of God before us for them, he is the troubler of Israel.  
Use II. Learn hence to interpret the Threaten of Judgement denounced by God's Messengers in the best sense, when they tell you of God's wrath. Oh do not think they tell you as they would have it, or that they take any delight in bringing such heavy tidings, but they must say as God commands them, Jer. 28. 6. they can be gladly content that the threatening may never be fulfilled.  
Use III. Here is a mark to distinguish the people of God from hypocritical Professors: when God tells us plainly of our sins, and speaks of his wrath, 'tis indeed a burden to all; but how? why, the wicked endeavour to throw it off themselves, and cast it upon God's Ministers, and violently to pull their shoulder from under it; but the people of God sit down under it, and bear it patiently, yea take up a new burden of sorrow for the sin which hath procured it, Lam. 3. 27, 28, 39  
Use IV. Learn hence what use to make of the threatening of God's Judgements, and Reproofs of your sins, if it be a burden to hear of them, what then will it be to bear them? if you cannot endure to sit quietly whiles you are told of them, how will you endure when God shall do according to the word of his Messengers? Let such thoughts as these move you to prepare yourselves, this use God would have these burdens attain, Amos 4. 1●.  
Of Dumah] i. e. Of the Land of Idumea, the place of the posterity of Esau, called Ed●m: these were, though of the posterity of Abraham and Isaac, yet a Nation rejected by God, and become an Heathen Nation; and yet God tells them aforehand what he intends against them, and condescends to give them a Warning to Repentance. Hence  
Doct. God, though grievously provoked, yet seldom brings desolating Judgements, before he gives warning. Edom, though out of God's Covenant, shall never theless hear from God before they feel his wrath, and Babylon, and Arabia, and Tyre, etc. as we find scattered in the Prophecies, how much more a people in Covenant with him.  
Reas. 1. Because this is the day of God's forbearance, and therefore he will exalt it towards sinners, and make them to taste of it. It is the time wherein Justice is moderated by Mercy.  
2. That sinners may have an opportunity to repent: when God speaks to them before he strikes them, he puts a price into their hands, if they have but a heart to it; hence God calls them to it. Text looks on it as such a season, Rev. 2. 21.  
3. To take off all excuse in the day of Vengeance, that all mouths may be stopped, sinners shall have nothing to say for themselves, as having been warned▪ they shall have no plea, shall not b● able to say, We never heard of it: no cloak shall be left them.  
Use. This may be a Rule to teach us what use to make of those manifold Warnings which God vouchsafes to afford unto us.  
1. Harken to his Warnings, hear his Threaten, attend to them, and believe them.  
Quest. How doth God warn us?  
Ans. First, By his Messengers, these are Ambassadors, to declare the mind and counsel of God, and proclaim his Judgements.  
Obj. But Revelations cease, how then can they give us a true account of the mind of God, and his purposes of bringing Judgements on us?  
Ans. God gives a greater portion of his Spirit to his Ministers, then to others, and by that Spirit he extraordinarily  
1. Stirs them up to a consideration of his mind and counsels: he directs their thoughts that way.  
2. Discovers to them the sins of the times and places they live in, makes them to observe the frames and manners of the people he sends them to.  
3. Enables them to compare his ancient deal with sinners, in the several respects and circumstances, and hence to draw conclusions, and hence verifies that promise, Amos 3. 7. Now these Conclusions are a sure word of Prophecy: for  
1. The Rule is standing, Crying sins are answered with certain Judgement. God is the same he was, his Holiness and Justice remain inviolable, and unchangeable, and therefore sinners have no hopes to escape, if they remain in their sins.  
2. Like sins bring like Judgements; Sodoms sins are followed with Sodems plagues; and therefore if our sins answer former times, we may expect our sufferings to be like theirs.  
3. The Prophecies of the Prophets were cautioned with the condition of Repentance, either explicit, as appears by the invitations to repent annexed to their Threaten frequently; or at least implicit, Jer. 18. 7, etc. so are theirs.  
Secondly, By his Providences: gathering of Clouds, and some drops of rain presage a Sto●●, Signs speak, the Rod hath a voice in i●, and may be heard, though it be but shaken over us.  
2. Let the Patience of God break our hearts, and ●ead us to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. Remember, God might have stricken when he warned us; he might have made our plagues seven times heavier, when he did lay some gentler stroke upon us; he might have made haste, begun, and made an end with us in one day, after he had so long in patience waited upon us.  
3. Give credit to God's Threaten, do not think he is in jest, look at such times wherein Ordinances and Providences concur in denouncing wrath against us, to be real tokens of Divine Displeasure, and to have a loud voice in them; and therefore let it teach us to meet God, and that without delay.  
He calleth, etc.] Here is the question or Introduction to the Prophecy.  
He] i. e. Some Person, or Messenger.  
Calleth] i. e. Comes to inquire.  
To me] i. e. Isaiah.  
Out of Seir] Mount Seir lying in the Land of the Edomites, is taken for the whole Land of Idumea.  
Watchman, what, etc.] By Watchman is meant the Prophet, these are called Watchmen by God, because he sets them to discern his wrath, and give warning to the people. The meaning or intent of the Question is diversely understood: I find a twofold interpretation.  
1. Some take it to be an expression of the bitterness and anguish of the Edomites, concerning the future event of those troubles which were beginning upon them: it seems War was threatened by the Assyrian; through which anguish they send to the Prophet, to know what was likely to ensue, what troubles they should meet withal: for Night is here a Metaphor of the time of affliction, as it is often in Scripture, Isa. 26. 9, etc. and then the ingemination of the Interrogatory, implies an earnestness of desire to be informed.  
2. Others understand it to be spoken in a flowering way, and so they call the Prophet Watchman by way of derision; as if they should say, Isaiah, you pretend to be a Watchman, and have foretold much of the time of trouble and desolation to come upon us, but we still enjoy the morning of prosperity, we are a free people, and not in subjection; come, what do you say to it now? Either interpretation will stand with the Analogy of Faith: though I think the latter to be more suitable to the Answer given in the following verse; in which sense the doubling of the Question is an aggravation of the scoff in a sarcasmous speech.  
From these words observe,  
Doct. 1. Times of Calamity are fitly compared to the night season.  
There is much of Analogy in these.  
1. In the night nothing can be distinguished from the darkness, all things lie equally mantled under that black veil; hence the Grave it called A land of darkness, because all meet equally, and indistinguishably there: in times of Calamity the affliction is universal, good and bad are not to be distinguished by the outward face of Divine Providence, E●cles 9 1.  
2. The night is a joyless time, darkness and obscurity ●ide from us object of joy and mirth: in times of Calamity objects of joy are removed, these outward symptoms and expressions of delights and pleasures are removed, Jer. 7. 34.  
3. The night is full of terror, the darkness hath a kind of influence upon our fantasy, leaving an impression of strange apprehensions, and possessing us with fears. Calamitous times are fearful and terrible times, fill us with suspicions, a man knows not whom to trust, lives in a fearful expectation of sudden miseries to seize upon him.  
4. The night is a solitary time, breaks up societies, and scattereth them to their several Chambers, to feed upon their melancholic thoughts and fears. Troublesome times bring places full of inhabitants to sit solitary.  
Use I. See here a Reason why the people of God ought to do their utmost to prevent the day of Calamity: though they shall get good by all Providences, yet no affliction is in itself joyous, but grievous, and they shall find a great deal of night, of trouble at such a time. Hence wonder not to hear them so earnest to deprecate that day, and labour so with God for a prevention of it. Christ himself, in whom was no sin, begs again and again, if it be possible that the Cup might pass away from him, how much more they that have sin as well as sorrow to grapple withal.  
Use II. See here the Analogy between Sin and Sorrow, both are in Scripture called darkness: hence the punishment is suitable to the fault, God pays men in their own Coin; if men will hurry themselves selves into the shades of sin, God justly brings them into a land of darkness, and of the shadow of death.  
Use III. This Consideration may warn us to have a care how we provoke Gods Judgements against us, to bring wrath upon us; we may be bold and fearless while the day time lasts, and our Sun of prosperity shines upon us, but if we pull down Judgements upon our heads, we shall find the night to be  
1. Joyless, we shall see the difference between joy and sorrow experimentally: when God shall have removed our comforts away from us, our peace, our outward supplies, all our precious things, we shall then feel what it is to be benighted.  
2. Terrible, full of amazement. Ah! little do we know what the terror of this night mean, to be oppressed with pining hunger, with pinching penury; to hear the cries of Children following us for bread, and none to give them; to hear the sound of the Trumpet, and Alarm to War; to hear the cries of the wounded, and see the slain in our gates; to see the raging of Famine and Pestilence, and natural affection changed into a Tyger-like Cruelty, tenderhearted Mothers shutting up their bowels of pity, and laying violent hands on the Children they have born; to go into Captivity, and serve an Enemy whose tender mercies are cruelty; to live in fear of every sight, every noise, lest it should be some messenger of Death, or that which is worse.  
3. Solitary and lonesome, when you shall be made desolate, and like Jo●, who was made a stranger to the wife of his bosom; and hence you shall have that which will fill head and heart full of perplexity: how careful then should we be that we provoke not God against us, to bring darkness of adversity upon us.  
Doct. 2. 'Tis the guise and disposition of the wicked, to despise and scoff at the Threatening of God's Judgement against them, especially if God delay execution.  
Thus the Edomites here, they had been threatened, but they yet were in peace, and though the Enemy was coming, they yet are secure. See also for this, Eccles. 8. 11. Ezek. 12. 22. Poor sinning man, though he might read the sentence of death in himself, yet is not willing to believe any evil till he feels it. If God delay, his Messengers presently are Liars.  
Reas. 1 From the natural security which possesseth the hearts of the unregenerate: sinful man is naturally secure, which security ariseth from  
1. Their not seeing and being affected with their sin, justly provoking of God, Mal. 2. 7. men grope in their darkness, and cannot see wherein they have done amiss. Men, especially if they have taken a form of godliness, and begin to be sticklers in Religion, they observe not that they want the power, and having taken up a good apprehension of themselves, the Word of Conviction passeth by as a thing in which they are not concerned. Hence they wonder that God should have any thing against them, they cannot believe it, and so they d●spise, and make a mock of those that tell them of Wrath against them.  
2. Their misinterpretation of God's patiented dealing with them: Natural men make a God to themselves of their own Minds, Psal. 50. 21. if God delays them, then presently he approves of their ways; at least they must have him a God all of mercy, they exa●t his Com●●ssion to the injury and violation of his Holiness and Justice; and so, what should be a means of their Repentance, 2 Pet. 3. 9 is an occasion of their hardening.  
3. Their false hopes and promises of their escape, their Covenants with Hell and Death, Isa. 28. 17, 18. make all men (thriving in the wo●ld in a way of wickedness, and being rooted deep in their outward enjoyments) begin to account this a kind of Deity to them, and hence build up their hopes and thoughts upon an unchangeable estate, Psal. 49. 11. and hence can disdain, and flout away the denunciation of a change.  
Reas. 2. Because their present prosperity so takes up their senses, that they despise God, no wonder then if they scoff at his Threaten. Pharaoh sitting in the Pomp and Glory of the Crown of Egypt, demands, Who is the Lord? Natural men are ready to say (in times of prosperity) with Niobe,  
Major sum quam cui possit fortuna nocer●.  
I am greater than the hand of Providence can reach to do any injury to, and hence beat a Challenge to the Almighty, Job 21. 13, 14.  
Use I. See here a Reason why Gods Messengers are so slighted by a secure and prospering people: when they speak of days of wrath, men do not believe them, their Preaching is accounted as false tales & vain stories; why, men live at ●ase, and therefore they are accounted fools that speak of a storm, and are made a May-game of, as they do here of the Prophet: and no wonder, for they do so by God himself; I spoke to thee in thy prosperity, and thou wouldst not hear. Men are short sighted, though they can discern the signs of Heaven, yet they are not willing to see any thing of the signs of Divine Displeasure, and if they see nothing, they will believe nothing, yea though they do see they are not willing to believe.  
Use II. To convince us of, and humble us for even this very sin before God this day. God hath given New-England many days of prosperity, it hath been day with us a long time, but meanwhile sin hath been growing upon us, and increasing, and Gods Messengers have dealt faithfully with us, and told us of it, and warned us by the clear demonstrations of the Word of God, that Judgements hang over our heads, but have not these Admonitions been despised and mocked by us?  
Quest. You will say, How?  
Ans. 1. Some have mocked them in plain terms, we have not been clear of this brazenfaced impudence, some to flout at the Warnings of God, yea to hate those that have been most serious in reproving our sins, especially that have pointed them out.  
2. Others have not believed, and those not a few neither, but the ●ost: we may almost use the Prophet's demand, Isa. 53. 1.  
3. Have not these Warnings been practically slighted and disregarded?  
1. How few hearts have been affected? and not to be affected, is a degree of mocking: how few melting hearts? how few that hea● and fear? how few tremblers at the Word of God? or that with old Eli, sit by the way, trembling for the Ark of God? We can sit under the Convictions of the Word, and no whit convinced; little remorse when these burdens are laid upon us, and we go away and wipe our mouths, and say, What have I done? We (like deaf men) startle not when the Trumpet sounds, because we will not hear it.  
2. What little care is there to return and meet God by repentance, and what is this better than to slight and mock God?  
Obj. But many days of Humiliation have been kept?  
Ans. True; and to what purpose?  
1. Where is the Reformation that hath followed? in Isa. 58. the 〈◊〉 owns that only as a true Fast, which is a day of Reformation● but what hath been amended? if we were amiss before, we are so still, notwithstanding all that is made to appear to the view of the world: and this is a manifest mockery.  
2. Have we not kept days to encourage ourselves to sin more boldly upon a new score, with the Whore in Prov. 7. 14, 15? thought to have cleared all old scores with God by an overly Confession, that so we might more securely run into new arrearages: and is not this a great mockery, to think to pay God with such sergeant Coin? What have we to do then, but to confess and bewail this sin be ore● God, and labour to amend it? For Motive: Consider,  
1. God will make you to know who sent these Messengers; that it was not of their own heads, nor on their own errands, that his Ministers came to you, but that it was from him, Ezek. 25. and that you have not scoffed and neglected them, but God himself: you shall see this.  
2. God's patience hath a bounded time, Hab. 2. 3. God may delay long, he will not do so always; know it, he is just as well as merciful: God will take a season, find out a fit opportunity to be known in his Judgements upon those who despise his patience, and reject his counsels and fore-warnings, he will not strive always with man, who is flesh, Gen. 6. 3.  
3. Such a spirit will provoke God to make haste, Ezek. 12. 23. if God send, yea rise up early and send, and so far condescend to a rebellious people, as to send Messenger after Messenger, and Message upon Message, and these mocked and despised, that news quickly comes there is no remedy, 2 Chron. 36. 16. this ripens men apace for destruction▪  
4. Such a spirit is an immediate forerunner of swift Calamity, 1 Thess. 5. 1— No surer and more infallible token of great Calamities to be hastening upon a people then this, when God tells them of trouble and calamity, they cry Peace, Peace, and lay themselves down (in despite of all Counsels and Warnings) upon the bed of Security, and take their ease in sin without remorse. Let us then be deeply affected with this evil, as knowing that there is nothing whereby we have more grievously provoked God, and vexed his Spirit, then by this: lie low before him in the sense of it, it may be he will pardon and forgive it.  
Doct. 3. It is no sure sign of a sincere heart, in times wherein God's Judgements are felt ●● 〈◊〉 to b● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about them.  
You see Edom here makes a great do of Enquiry: there is an hypocritical and false, and there is a sincere and true Enquiry made about divine Dispensations, and the one apparently, and to the view of the world, may be as earnestly pressed as the other.  
Reas. 1. Because there are other things which may excite such an Enquiry, besides the fear of God; viz.  
1. A natural fear, which may be stirred up at the first hearing of Threaten, and discovery of tokens presaging Calamity; the sight of dismal Clouds, and the noise of some terrible Thunder-cracks, do at the first carry a kind of consternation along with them: and this makes men, till by degrees they outgrow their affrightment, to be very sedulous to know what these things mean.  
2. A naturally busy talkative spirit, that loves to be busy, talking and discoursing, many affect to be in discourse, and hence they inquire that they may have something to spend time in discourse.  
3. A desire to be thought wise, discerning and prudent, hence men will inquire for light: we love to have the esteem for prudence and discretion, to be accounted men of discerning spirits, that observe and know the times, and hence take some pains in searching.  
4. An irohicall and flo●ting spirit: such this seems to be in the Text, not that we have any true desire to know any thing, but in disdain of God's Ministers: we inquire of them as for knowledge, but in the meanwhile look upon them to have no more knowledge of the mind and counsel of God than ourselves: with this spirit those proud men seem to have come to inquire of the Prophet, Jer. 43.  
Reas. 2. Because there are other ends of such Enquiry, besides such as accompany sincerity; viz.  
1. A bare desire of external knowledge and discourse: there is seated in man a great natural desire of the knowledge of the Nature of things, and that especially of future Contingencies; hence men take a great deal of pains, and busy themselves much in seeking to know such things, when it is to no other end but to know.  
2. An intent to cavil at God's dispensations, Isa. 58. 2. Some inquire to no other end, but that they may pick a quarrel with Divine Providence, and charge the ways of God with injustice, as if they were wiser than God, as if he did not Rule the World by an equal Law.  
Use 1. For Trial: there is much talk now a-dayes amongst us, about the Judgements of God, and those awful Providences that are rolling over our heads: there is a great Enquiry made, but let us not think or conclude ourselves ever the better, because we are among the number of those who are possibly the most forward upon this account, but examine ourselves whether we do it in sincerity or in hypocrisy.  
Signs of hypocritical Enquiry.  
1. When we inquire more after the Events of Calamity, than the Causes procuring of it: thus those Idumeans, What of the night? i. e. What is like to come upon us? So there is much enquiry, what the issue of these rolling Providences is like to be; what things are like to come to: but there are few say, What have I done? wherein is the Lords anger incensed, & c? this shows we are more afraid of sorrow than sin, when we look so much at the Rod, and not at the hand which wieldeth it: This argues a spirit of hypocrisy; for we neglect our work, which is to search and try our hearts, and meddle with God's work, whose Sovereignty it is to rule and order the affairs of the whole World at his own pleasure.  
2. When we inquire more after Natural than Spiritual Causes: we are very inquisitive to know what may be the Natural Cause of these Blast which have for many years diminished and corrupted the best of our Grain; and hence, many projective endeavours in vain attempted to prevent it, by a seeking to remove that Cause, which we are to this day baffled in, and as far off to seek as ever: but the Causes Spiritual (which are more manifest, and easy to be discovered) are slightly sought after, and so but little endeavour to remove them, hence no wonder that the Effect remains, we inquire in hypocrisy.  
3. When we inquire, but 'tis without any desire or willingness to see the true Reason or Causes, or b● convinced of them, we inquire with a kind of forestalled and prejudicated spirit; we have taken up already what our determination is and must be: hence this it is, and no other thing, hence we arm ourselves with a resolution to outstand all Conviction, and so lay a block in the way to prevent any efficacious meeting God i● such a way as might remove his hand off from us, and prevent the process of more and worse miseries.  
4. When we inquire, but never intent to reform: this was the enquiry of th●se, Jer. 43. thei● promises were indeed fair, but when the Prophet had gone to God and enquired for them, and through them ●ord back again, now they discover their hypocritical heart, Chap▪ 44. 16. they would make a formal kind of process, as if they had been desirous of God's counsel to direct them; and had the Answer been to their minds, what godly men might they have pa●● for: Hath God told us nothing? have not his Messengers pointed a●something? ha●e not the very Providences themselves given light to our enquiry? but all this while, where is the amendment? who turns from his evil way to the Lord?  
5. When we inquire, but not of God's Watchmen: times have been when they have been esteemed, and looked upon as Watchmen indeed, who were best able to inform us in the Counsels of God; but now who more blind than they in our practical judgement? a prejudicial eye is cast upon them, and they laid by as useless. Oh how is the cavilling of an Anabaptistical and censorious spirit (who can spit his venom in the face of Magistracy and Ministry, and make these the Causes of all our Trouble) set by among many? whiles the faithful Warnings of God's Servants are contemned.  
6. When possibly we inquire of them, but with a slighty and difdainful spirit: Oh how many go with their nice Queries to their Ministers, when they despise them in their hearts? and either lay snares for them, as they dealt by Christ himself, Is it lawful to pay tribute, & c? or at least do not go to them as such whom they do indeed look upon and esteem to be sent of God, and therefore may hopefully expect to receive better information from them, then from others; hence they little regard, and less do they practise.  
7. When we inquire, but we are not willing the Cause should be in ourselves, but in others: and hence though we inquire with some earnestness, yet if the Answer (though true) touch us, and our Corruptions, we cannot bear it; this shows that we inquire with a censorious (which is an hypocritical) spirit: ●● regard not how much blame be laid upon others, but are willing to take none of the blame and shame of the sin to ourselves; and therefore come not up to this, which is the only sincere first Enquiry, What have I done?  
Use II. To humble us for our hypocrisy upon this account: and how much cause the best of us may have to take the shame of this sin upon us before God this day, if we did seriously inquire, we might in some measure discover: let us then bewail it seriously. For Motive: Consider,  
1. It is no light matter to mock God; so we do in every act of hypocrisy: God is not mocked, saith the Apostle; i. e. he will not be put off with, nor will he put up our mockeries.  
2. God and your sin will find you out: God discerns the heart, and therefore it is no mocking of him; he is a jealous God, and therefore he will make you to know how ill he takes it, he will smoke against your best services, that you may understand your hypocrisy is observed by him, Isa. 58. 1—  
Thus much of the Question of the Idumeans.  
The Answer of the Prophet follows. The Answer is short and full.  
The Watchman's i. e. the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah owns his Office, though they put it upon him as a scoff and mockery, but he is not ashamed of it in the least. Hence  
Doct. The Ministers of God are not ashamed of their Office, though the world seem to despise and flout at it. Let the men of the world think never so undervaluingly of the Place and Work they are in, they yet prise and esteem it.  
Reas. 1. Because it is an Office instituted by God, and therefore will be defended, and vindicated by him: he owns them, though the world despise them, and he will take upon him to plead the Cause of his despised Ministers.  
Reas. 2. Because it is a high and honourable Office, though despised: let the world look upon it with an eye of disdain, yet it is in itself a dignity, an honour: Ministers are Ambassadors from God to men, 2 Cor. 5. 20. now the Majesty of the Prince is represented in the Ambassador, God looks that part of his own honour is engraven upon this Office, Ministers therefore have no reason to be discouraged by the contumelies of the world.  
Reas. 3. Because it is a Work which is accompanied with the glorious power of God, and made a means of the Salvation of God's Elect: this is Paul's reason why he is not ashamed of the Gospel, Rom. 1. 16. When they see God putting forth his p●wer, and making the stoutest sinners fall (like the walls of Jericho) at the sounding of the Preaching of the Gospel, and many souls by their Ministry brought effectually home to God, this is enough to make them disdain the slanders and revile of men, and glory in their Ministry.  
Reas. 4. Because its reward is with God: Ministers look not for, nor would be satisfied with an earthly reward; their praise is of God, and not of men: he hath promised they shall not lose their reward, and they dare trust him, and can cheerfully endure, and meet with all that reviling and contempt which wicked men delight to be venting against them: the Crown will more than pay for all.  
Use. Learn hence to have a care that you contemn not Gods Ministers, and above all the Office of the Ministry: doubtless the low esteem of this great Work appearing by too many evident symptoms, is one thing for which God is now pleading with us, and therefore seasonable at this time to be hinted to us. Oh beware of this sin. Consider,  
1. If we despise them, we despise God, Luke 10. 1●. the Prince accounts all the affronts and indignities offered to his Ambassadors, to bear a proper respect to himself; and do you then think that God will hear it? Moses may hold his peace, God's Ministers may pity and pray for you, yea will; but God will not suffer his own glory thus to be trampled upon, nor his Servants thus to be abused.  
2. If we contemn them, and receive not their Ministry, it is the ready way to be given up by God to a spirit of delusion, 2 Thess. 2. 10. Observe it, and you shall see, this hath been the door out of which so many have gone away into those giddy distempers which they are now infected withal, even those many Enthusiasms of the Devil; an undervaluing of the Ministry, an elevating and setting up private gifts, etc. which hath led men by degrees to those great Apostasies, whereby their light (which would have shone clearly in its proper Orb) hath spent itself in a blaze, and gone out in a stinking snuff.  
The Watchman said] i. e. from God, and by his direction, we here see the Prophet gives them a serious Answer. Hence  
Doct.  end a people have in enquiring, it is the duty of God's Ministers faithfully to answer them according to the mind and counsel of God. See Jer. 42. 19, 20. the people they dissembled, but Jeremiah tells them the truth.  
Reas. 1. From the nature of their Office, which is to be Watchmen, which depends not upon the acceptance, or not acceptance of their Message, but is an absolute duty, whose neglect cannot be dispensed withal: whether they will hear or no, Ezekiel must discharge his Office, Chap. 2. 7. yea, it lies so upon him, as the neglect of it brings him under the dreadful menaces of God's wrath, Chap. 2. 18. he breaks his charge if he neglect it, yea and hazards the undoing of those for whom he is set up to be a Watchman.  
Reas. 2. Because God will have a rebellious people left inexcusable, Ezek. 2. 5. though the prime end, and natural tendency of the Ministry, be for the Conversion and good of the people to whom they are sent, yet God in just judgement will sometimes have it to be to increase their Condemnation, and to make their misery more dreadful: Line upon line, etc. is sometimes given to make a people stumble and fall, Isa. 28. 13. all this is for God's glory, the shine of the glory of his Justice, when he shall come to recover the honour of his despised Counsels and Warnings, and plead with a people for their wretched and inexcusable violation of both Covenants.  
Use I. See here a reason why Gods faithful Ministers use so little humane policy in the execution of their Place and Office: should they connive at our sins, ●ew pillows under our elbows, fawn upon us, or at the least speak in the dark and aloof off, they were most likely, in an eye of humane Reason, to live more quietly, and less hated: he is ready to be accounted our enemy who tells us the truth. How easily might they accommodate themselves to humane affections, but they dare not do it, but speak plain; not because they are ignorant of the probability of what entertainment they are like to meet withal, but because they dare not to be false to the charge and trust which God hath laid upon them. I confess, concerning some things there may be an indiscreet zeal, in these there is a time to hold one's peace; but in the discovery of the Counsels of God, and laying open crying sins, etc. it's not the fear or favour of man, but the awful command of God, which must be, and is, the Rule of the serious Minister, who being sent from God, must deliver his Embassy.  
Use II. Learn hence how faithful God is to us, how unfaithful soever we be to him, and to our own souls: might we have our own desires, we would hear nothing else but soothing and pleasant words; he that preacheth sin and wrath, is a legalist, a Micaiah, he never speaks good to us; thus would we go sleeping and secure to Hell, run ourselves jocundly into all misery, such enemies are we to our own souls: but how faithful is God, who seeing us falling into the seas of wrath, sends to awaken us out of our sleep, to tell us of our evil ways, and to reclaim, and bring us back. That God hath ordained and set up the Office of the Ministry under that solemn and dreadful charge, As they will answer it in the great day, If they will not bring the guilt of the blood of souls upon their own heads, to tell sinners of their ways, and give them seasonable and constant warning; herein is the Faithfulness of God, and his great Goodness wondrously exalted.  
Use III. Learn hence to account a plaindealing Ministry to be of God, however they cross our corruptions: if any in the world are indeed sent of God to us, then surely those, who laying aside all self-ends and worldly interests, lay themselves open to the hatred and persecution of the world, hazard to lose our love and good will, to be evil spoken of, to suffer want, and hard usage among us, rath then be silent in an evil day; rather than hold their peace, and let us alone in our sins, or palliate and dissemble with us in the Cause of God and our own souls. Pray to God that you may always have and enjoy such Ministers, and that he would put this Spirit into his Ambassadors.  
The morning cometh, and also the night] Hear the Prophet answers them according to their particular enquiry about the success. In which observe  
1. A Concession; The morning cometh: It is true indeed, you do for the present enjoy a season of prosperity, though evil have been denounced against you; and it cometh still, i. e. you have still a short season behind of day.  
2. A Warning; and also the night: i. e. as you have your morning, so assure yourselves you shall have your night; think not, nor deceive yourselves into such a foolish hope, as to promise yourselves you shall never see adversity, because you now live at ease and prosper.  
3. The words carry in them the face of an Argument: he compares their condition to a Natural day, in which there are two constituting parts, viz. Day and Night, light and darkness, which naturally follow one upon another: the day of the people of God usually (as the Natural day) gins with darkness, and ends in light; the wickeds day gins with morning, but shall end with night. Hence if they look for night to follow the clearest day▪ why do they dream as if sorrow could not come in the room of their present pleasure and delight? Hence  
Doct. 1. God may afford a sinning people; a people designed for wrath, a long morning of prosperity. Edom's Morning cometh, endureth a great while: God thus spared the Am●rites an hundred and forty years, bare with the old World an hundred and twenty.  
Reas. 1. Because this is the day of God's forbearance: God is perfectly just, and he shall be known to be so in the day of vengeance, when the great Assizes shall be set, and he shall render unto every one according to their works; but mean while he hath a day of mercy, wherein (without any infringement to his Justice and Holiness) he moderates the Sentence passed upon sinners, and delays the fu●l execution of it, meanwhile conferring much of his goodness upon them. Now the season of the shine of this Attribute of Mercy, appearing in his Clemency and Benignity, is properly here in this world: God will have the glory of all his Attributes shine out and appear in his Efficiency; now there is no room for, nor knowledge of his Patience, Longsufferance, and Goodness in Hell, where the Cup of Wrath is without mixture: God therefore now makes it appear in the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, Rom. 9 22.  
Reas. 2. Because God hath in his Decrees, not only laid men out for punishment, but for their measure and degrees of punishment, which they come to by the height of their sin, and by the number of Mercies abused: this is an awful, but an undeniable Truth, That God hath not only designed such sinners to destruction, but hath allotted them their place in Hell; Judas is gone to his place: there is a Hell more and less tolerable, Mat. 11. 15. as also that men come to this, by their abusing and misimproving of mercies, Rom. 2. 5. hence therefore sinners must have such a time of Patience, so many Mercies, etc. beyond which, as they shall not be spared, so before which they shall not be disturbed, but set alone till their measure be fulfilled; till they are ripe, and fully fitted to destruction, Gen. 15. 16.  
Use I. Learn hence, that outward prosperity is no sure token of God's special favour, Eccles. 9 2. a person or people may have and enjoy the world's abundance, and over flow in the outward things of this life, and yet be the hated of God, such whom God turns like Oxen into a rich Pasture, where they may be fa●●ed up for the slaughterhouse of Hell: reckon not therefore upon this. Have any of you escaped the common Calamities which God hath b●en b●i●ging upon this Land? do not soothe up yourselves with this, and please yourselves into an opinion that God loves you ever the better; a dear child of God may be under the most sever chastenings, 〈◊〉 thou that art not chastised mayest be a bastard.  
Use II. This may call us all to a serious and solemn Examination of ourselves, what use we have made of those many days of prosperity which we have had: it is not enough that we have had them, but how have we improved them. Know it, the day of Reckoning is coming, and then an account will be taken, when the more any have received, the more they will have to answer for. We have been a people wonderfully favoured by the Lord, but let not this make us secure; who knows but we have turned Gods great Mercies into great Curses by abusing of them: 'tis time then (now God is coming to recover his Mercies out of our hands) to ask our own hearts, whether we have not highly abused, yea so that if Repentance prevent not, to our final destruction.  
Doct. 2. A people in the very height of outward prosperity, may be very near to ruin and destruction. The Prophet speaks here quick, as of sudden Changes, The morning comes, also the night; intimating, as if there should be no long distance between their morning and night, as if it should be a short morning, a day soon changed into night. You remember how it was with the Old World, and with Sodom, who were taken in the height of their pleasures, in the top of their prosperity, and suddenly brought to a final end, and fearful desolation; and our Saviour Christ speaks of such times in the days of the Gospel, Luke 17. 26, etc.  
Reas. 1. Because such days ripen men faster for destruction, Rom. 9 22. the more men have, and abuse, the deeper they run into God's debt-book, the larger accounts they have: the better the Pasture is, the sooner the Ox is fat; now you know the Ox is not taken from his Pasture, till such time as the day of slaughter comes, hence God takes men in their height, and makes them come down wonderfully.  
Reas. 2. From the nature of Patience, which as it can bear and endure a great deal, and a long while, so when it once comes to be worn out, and provoked, breaks forth into a most sudden and direful flame: Laesa patientia fit furor; Jer. 4. 4. That anger which is not suddenly and speedily stirred up, when kindled is most furious and unappeasable.  
Reas. 3. From the nature of sin, which the more goodness of God it enjoys, the more it heightens itself into boldness and violence: Sodoms fullness (which called to glorify God) was an occasion of the crying sins that were among them; hence they pull down wrath, and there is no remedy.  
Use. This may convince us of a great deal of the Goodness and rich Mercy of God expressed to us-ward in this very thing, in that he hath not brought our Calamity and Desolation on us all at once, but hath come by degrees, he hath not dealt with us as with Sodom, whose desolation came in a day, sudden as a Whirlwind; whose morning was fair and clear, who saw the Sun shine upon them, the same day wherein they were overwhelmed with a storm of Fire and Brimstone. Our Sun hath been obscured, our day brought to the twilight, before sudden and thick darkness: these are tokens of Gods long suffering and great favour towards us; hereby God gives us further warning, and more space to repent. Oh let us then make this use of it; God shows by this that he is willing to be stopped in his way, to accept the sacrifices of an humble spirit.  
Doct 3. God would have us in the Morning to think of Night. Whiles times of peace and plenty continue, God would that we bethink ourselves of a change, Eccles. 11. 8. God would have these Edomites to consider that Night would come after their Morning was over.  
Reas. From the sutableness and seasonableness of these thoughts at such a time.  
1. The serious consideration of it may be a means to prevent it: by removing the Cause, the Effect ceaseth, God brings sorrow for sin, Repentance stops him in his course, and brings back his favour. A wise and holy improvement of the day of God's goodness and favour, causeth the Sun to stand still in our Firmament, and the day of prosperity to last: but the sinful abuse of it hastens the setting of our Sun, and coming of the black and dark night; now to think of this beforehand, affords us a solemn and awakening Motive carefully to improve our time of visitation, whereby we may enjoy a blessed lengthening out of our tranquillity.  
2. The due improving of these thoughts may be a means to fit us for the Night: forewarned (as we say) and fore-armed; the expectation of storms and tempests, drives persons to seek a seasonable shelter and hiding-place from the wind and rain: this makes serious souls prepare to meet with their God. They that never think nor consider o● a change, never think of being emptied from vessel to vessel, are like fishes taken in ●n evil 〈◊〉, are horribly unprepared; but the serious expectation of days of Calamity, will drive us (if any thing) to make our peace with God, to take up our sh●●er under the wings of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the evil of these evils overtake us not.  
3. These thoughts will make us wise to improve our morning to the best advantage: when we see night coming, and a great deal before us to do, this doubles our diligence, whiles many times we idle away much of the day, as long as we think it a great while to night; as long as we apprehend the Sun to be in its height, we sleep, but when it is near setting, than we redeem the time. Oh how laborious Christians should we be, how sedulous in the work of God, if we did but carry along with us in our minds the thoughts of the evil day, did we but with a cautious expectation every day look for a change!  
Use I. See here how grievously they provoke God, who in the day of their prosperity mind nothing but their ease and pleasure▪ Amos 6. 1— it is an iniquity which God cannot bear, as follows in the sequel: it is a note of a wicked man, when he enjoys the favour of God, to do nothing but spend his days in mirth; there are the afflictions of Joseph to mind, yea also and our own change to mind: what was the ground of Jerusal●ms destruction but this? Lam. 1. 9  
Use II. This may be for Direction to us, what use to make of the consideration and fore-thoughts of the night of Trouble, in a few things:  
First, Consider what just reason we have to expect a night, a change, more sorrows still; viz.  
1. The grievous loss of precious time in the best. Oh how much of our time here have we wasted away, aliud agendo, in that which profits not. None in the world ever enjoyed a happier advantage to serum God in, than we have done for so long a season in this Wilderness, wherein we have enjoyed peace, and the liberties of the Gospel, liberty to be as good as we will, and all encouragements to serve God; but oh how much have we been wasting away unprofitably, in Contentions, and busy Wranglings about matters of an inferiors consideration, about our worldly Cares and Perplexities, etc. We have used but little care to redeem those precious hours from those encompassing vanities which beset us.  
2. Heinous provocations of God's wrath in many, which may make God say of us as of Israel, that we press him as a Cart is pressed with the sheaves. Oh how many crying sins have been ●ound among us? Should God come and plead with us, (and indeed so he doth, and hath been pleading with us a great while) and read over to u●● Bill o● our several Items, how few need he leave out of those drawn up against Jerusalem, in that heavy Accusation recorded Ezek. 22. 14. I need not mention in particular, Crying sins have been found, and are prevailing, and shall not God visit for these things? will he not be avenged on such a people, who promised, and gave him hopes of ●●●ter things?  
Secondly, Consider what Warnings God hath given us.  
1. In the Ministry: Hath it not been the voice of God in the mo●th of all his Prophets, hath there not been a full and universal consent of all God's Messengers, that God hath a Controversy with 〈◊〉 people, and cannot be silent? How long hath this been a Conclusion, and they have been faithful to discharge their duty, and acquit their Consciences on this account by declaring it: this we have heard often proclaimed, and by sound demonstration cleared t● us, but we have made too light of that, Ministers must say something to keep up their credit, and keep the people in awe. And therefore  
2. God hath warned us in his Providences, that so he might make us believe his Word in the mouth of his Messengers: and that no● only by many Signs and Prognostics, usual for erunners of calamitous times, but also by the Vaunt-C●●rriers of his Army of Judgements▪ beginnings of sorrows; many have been the sad and awakening Providences of these latter years, he is a stranger in our Israel who is unacquainted therewithal. If we will not credit the Word, y●● let us believe the Rod; if in the Morning we have been easily del●●ed into false and vain hopes, to think it would never be Night, yet one would think, when the Sun seems to be setting in our Horizon, and the dus●● of the Evening is coming upon us, we should now be ready to give credit to it, unless we are fallen into a Lethargic, and dead sleep o● Security.  
3. Now let us bethink ourselves how it may be prevented: to what ●nd should we be warned, but that we might endeavour to preven● and escape the drinking the dregs of this Cup, whereof we have been already made to sip?  
1. Believe that God is yet willing to be stop●, he shows how un 〈…〉 be is to afflict, and therefore is ready to be stayed. God loves to be hindered in these proceed, he himself looks to see if there be any to stand in the gap, and make up the brea●h, and he is grieved when ●e ●an find none: this is encouragement; The God of Israel is a merciful God, and will be ready to ex●end that mercy to us, notwithstanding any advantage he hath in his hand against us: he therefore (when in the midst of Judgements) swears, that he delights not in the sinner's death, and calls upon them to return to him, Ez●k. 36 11.  
2. Improve the means of prevention that are appointed by God: as there is a possibility of stopping the process of God's wrath, so there is but one only way whereby it can be done, and that is by returning by a thorough Repentance, by a confessing and forsaking those sins that pull down wrath; we must confess, that he may be acknowledged Just▪ we must forsake, because the Cause must be taken away before the Effect cease.  
4. Prepare that if the Night come you may make advantage of it for your good: though the Night hath many sad disadvantages, yet it hath its advantages too; though it pay the sluggard with shame, yet to him that hath done his work, 'tis sweet, and helps his rest: if it find you in a way of righteousness, it can do you no hurt, it shall do you a great deal of good. Oh prepare, get your sins pardoned and done away, if the guilt of these remain, they will interpose as a thick and dismal Cloud, between the light of God's countenance and your souls, than it will be a black and dark night indeed: get into Christ, make him your shelter and rock, he is a sure refuge, and the tempest cannot break through him to do you any harm, though it should bear down, and wash away the ●lay house of your earthly tabernacle, yet it cannot keep you from, but will hasten you to a more speedy possession of your Eternal Mansion, your house of rest, whose builder and maker is God.  
If ye will inquire, inquire ye:] The Prophet having answered their Question about the Events of Providence, and confirmed his forewarnings, by taking off the objection from present prosperity, and ascertained them of the hastening of their Calamity; being desirous to prevent their utter desolation, adds a word of serious advice to them from God, wherein he tacitly reproves the hypocrisy of their former inquisitiveness, and calls up to sincerity in their enquiring▪ Hence▪  
D●ct. 1. Hypocritical service is in God● account no service. Edom makes a seeming enquiry, but they did it not in earnest; hence the Prophet speaks of it as no enquiry at all. The Jews fasted much, and were angry that God did not answer them, that their affliction still remained on them; God tells them he looked upon it as no Fast, Isai, 58. 3.  
Reas. is, B●cause it  
1. Comes not from a right principle; Grace, which only can do any thing acceptably to God: where there is not this, the Sacrifice is an abomination. That which hath the matter of visible service in it, is looked upon as the greatest sin, Isa. 66 2.  
2. Is not done in a right manner, viz. Sincerity of heart. God requires the heart in every service, for that commands all the faculties, and what way that goes, thither indeed all aim; hence the complaint is, Their heart was not upright toward God.  
3. Neither doth it aim at the right end, viz. the glory of God: this is the end of all true service, to bring glory to our Maker, and if this be not our aim and end, God is not indeed served in it. Now every hypocritical service wants all these ingredients, and therefore is not a serving of God, hence no wonder if he do not accept it.  
Use. This may be for Trial, to see whether our services and inquiries have not been hypocritical, whether or no we have not drawn near to God with our lips, whiles our hearts have been far from him: Surely there is great reason why we should make such an enquiry as this is, if we consider what effects have followed upon our fastings.  
1. How little fruit of Reformation hath there been on our part: what one thing hath there been amended? what public sin hath been reclaimed? is there ever the less vanity, pride, profaneness, oppression, contention? or do not these and the like evils seem rather to increase and grow more after all? and is not this a note of hypocrisy, to confess, and seem to bewail, and yet not to amend, but grow worse?  
2. Wherein hath there been a removal of the Rod on God's part: do not our calamities seem to increase, and the stroke to be more and more heavy? we lost many Instruments of the glory of God, and suffered many bodily Calamities, and Blast of our labours, and we have fasted; but his anger is not turned a●ay, but his hand is stretched out still; yea more varieties of sorrows are heaped upon us: we may therefore well examine our own hearts, what is the reason of all this, unless we have no● yet indeed turned to him who smote us, th● Lord our God.  
Doct. 2. Whatsoever pretence we make, yet God knows with what hear●●● come to him, to ask counsel and direction from him. The Itum a●t seem earnest and urgent, but yet the Lord tells them that they make ●one (i. e. no acceptable) enq●ity.  
Reas. From his Omniscience, Psal. 94. 8. Heb. 4. 13. he is the heart maker, and therefore hath the power of discerning the heart, and all the motions and turn of it; all the ●ooks and corners of it are open: it is so full of deceitfulness, that we cannot know it throughly, but he perfectly and exactly views, and discerns it; if he did not know the secrets of our hearts, if any thing were hid from him, he were not God.  
Use. Learn hence that you cannot deceive God, man you may put off with fine words and fair pretences, but not so God: hath not God made it to appear that he will not be mocked by us? we have offered up to him hypocritical services, and accordingly we have been p●id: we come with an Idol in our heart, and he hath answered us according to our Idol. Let us then look to ourselves, and beware how we com● before him, with what heart we come into his presence: know it, if we sow wind, we shall reap the east-wind; we may think to deceive and put him off with ou● mockeries, but he observes and takes notice even of those thoughts, and will make us to see and feel that he is displeased with them: Bring then no more vain ●blations, offer ●p no more heartless sacrifices to him, but come loathing ourselves, taking the true sh●me of our sins, and with a real desire to be rid of them, and we shall be accepted.  
Doct. 3. Those that would be instructed by God, in the grounds of his quarrel, and means of restitution, must inquire in good earnest. God loves not this hypocrisy, and if we bring it, he will answer accordingly, Ezek. 14 4. God may indeed answer those that inquire in hypocrisy, but it is an unwelcome answer he gives them, viz. a confirmation, and a ratifying of his Threaten, and an assurance of ●●e fulfilling of them: All the news that Edom hea●s, is, That their Night shall come on them, the evil determined shall be brought to pass against them: bu● God gives an answer of peace only to those that inquire in sincerity.  
R●●s. 1. Because this hypocrisy is one great reason of the continuation of Gods▪ anger, and therefore must ●● 〈◊〉 before God w●l▪ accept of ●s when we 〈◊〉 to inquire of him▪ Isa. ●●▪ ●, ●●▪ they had sinned, and God had afflicted; they had fasted, and God had added to their affliction, and they now would know a reason of this: why, the iniquity of their fasting procured them this; Is this such a Fast as I have required? hence God direct● them how to fast aright, in the sequel. J●dah had been full of visible services, but God was wrath, Isa. 1. he tells them how they should come and reason out the ●ase with him, and enjoy pardon and mercy at his hands, ver. 16, 17.  
Reas. 2. Because there can be no hope of true Reformation, where there is not sincerity in the enquiring: if we inquire hypocritically, we cannot intent really to repent; for the very first step to repentance, is a serious search and enquiry into our hearts and ways, Lam. 3. 40. Those proud men, Jer. 4●. they come in hypocrisy, and hence when they have an answer from God, and are counselled for their good, they take up a resolution that they will not do according to the word of the Lord.  
Use I. for Trial: Let us examine whether this be not the reason why God hath not yet made us to see, and be sensible of the grounds of his Contest with this poor Land. This is the great and general complaint, We have fasted and prayed, sought and enquired, but his hand is stretched out still, and he is yet pleased to hid the reason from us, and not to let us know why he contendeth with us. Oh, do not charge God foolishly of injury or hard de●ling: God, though he be Sovereign, and not bound to give an account of any of his matters, yet he is a gracious God, and vouchsafes to the humble soul to make a discovery of his Counsels, would we know why God hides his mind● from us; look upon ourselves, did we ever yet inquire in good earnest? God's hand hath been heavy on this account upon us.  
1. In some things God hath divided the Apprehensions of his Messenger●▪ as is too manifest and apparent; and this is your triumph, which ought to be your sorrow, for if in any point the Trumpet give a● uncertain found, yours is the suffering like to be, and yet this is a general outcry, What do you expect from us? what do you think we should ●●, when our Ministers are not yet agreed. Well, it is a humbling thought, but do not w●sh your ●ands, and wipe your mouths, as if you were clean in this point, but be humbled, you may find the roo● and cause of the affliction in yourselves; if you sought God in good ●ar●●st for your Ministers, and so prayed for them as you ought to d●▪ a●d serio●sl●●egged of God to give them one hear● there would be a great●● c●●se●t among them.  
2. In other things there is a general Consent and Agreement among God's Ministers, but the people of God are divided in apprehension: and hence a check in many places put to the comfortable carrying on of the Work of Reformation; some are of one mind, some of another; some consent with, and other dissent from the Messengers of God, and hence are ready to charge each other mutually as the causes of our Calamity: and what's the reason of these divisions in Reuben, but that we have enquired of God with an Idol in our hearts? We first take up Conclusions that we are in the right, and all others out of the way that are different from us; and then, with these Conclusions we go to God, and make as if we enquired of him.  
3. In other things all agree as to the Theory, viz. as to many Moral Causes and Occasions, which are justly provoking to God to bring a Scourge upon us: Who agrees not that Pride, Profaneness, Contention, etc. are things which provoke God's anger, and cause him to smoke against a people in the fire of his displeasure? yea, who agrees not that these sins are prevailing and increasing among us? and yet we little reform these things in ourselves, neither are we satisfied in our enquiry, but still remain querists; and why? we still inquire hypocritically: this may be matter of humiliation this day, among others let us not forget to bewail this sin in the presence of God, and beg of him to give us grace to seek him so as we may be heard by him, and he found by us.  
Use II. for Exhortation: We come this day humbly to ask of God what his mind is, why he is offended at his people, and seems to be unwilling to be pacified, and to be angry at our requests; why, if you will inquire, inquire: if you would be satisfied, and receive an answer of peace at God's hands, come in good earnest, and God shall satisfy you this day: none ever asked counsel of him with a true and sincere heart, but was satisfied. For your help herein by way of Direction in this great business, if you would receive help and counsel from God, than  
1. Lay down your own judgements and wills at the foot of God, there are many that bring a forestalled judgement, and will (as we heard) take up their rash Conclusions, according to their o●n opinions, and resolve never to be moved from them: this provokes God to leave us up to be seduced by our own delusions. Empty yourselves therefore of your own wisdom and will, that you may be ready to entertain his.  
2. Make the Word of God your Rule of enquiry, make that your Light and Lamp to lead you in your search after the Causes of God's displeasure: go not by humane policy, or carnal reason, or other men's judgements and apprehensions, which are fallacious; no, let God be true, and every man a liar. Compare we ourselves by his Word exactly, by the Rule, and by Examples, and let Conscience be an impartial Judge, and doubtless we shall discover more than a little.  
3. Come with an humble heart, prepared to submit to whatsoever God shall discover. Consider, many things have been told you, but they have met with, and crossed your corruptions, and so you have rejected them: a proud heart is never like to be so familiar with God as to be instructed by him, he sees such at a distance: would you have God to teach you, submit humbly to his teaching.  
1. If the sin ●all upon you in particular, be ready to take the shame of it: if while thou art standing before God, ask him by whom▪ and for what he is provoked? if he answer, Thou art the man, for these and those things he is provoked and offended; why, now lay thy mouth in the dust, reply not against him. While the sin is laid upon others, and it toucheth not us, as we conceive, o● at least only our natural infirmities, etc. we are well pleased; but when our s●res come to be opened, rubbed and chafed, why then we kick, and fling, and rage, and grow mad. Avoid this frame, and ●ear patiently to be laid open and reproved.  
2. If the Command laid upon you be never so cross, be ready and willing to obey it: it may be, that which God expects may be exceeding averse, an Opinion which thou hast been long rooted and riveted in, and dwelled upon with great confidence; a sin which hath brought thee in a great deal of profit, credit, or the like: the thing which God commands may seem to carnal Reason unreasonable, etc. now a proud heart will fling away; but have a care thou bring not such an heart before the great Searcher of hearts: Come, able in some measure sincerely to say, Speak Lord, thy Servant heareth; Command me what th●● wilt▪ I am ready to obey and follow thee.  
4. Begin at home in your enquiry: be sure search your own hearts in the first place, whether the Acha●, the troubler of Israel be not lodged in your own breast. We keep a great deal of do abroad, searching, enqui●ing, censuring▪ as if we were true men to God, and resolved to find out the sin▪ but we are like some treacherous Constable, that hath a Warrant to search for a Malefactor, he is very busy and strict in his Office, searcheth and ransacks every house in the Town, pries into every corner, as very desirous to fi●de him out, and bring him forth, and yet mean while he lies hid at home in his own house: Oh! this will never do, if thou knowest any sin harboured in thy heart, lie not to God by thus enquiring, nay if thou do but suspectest, let that be enough to cause a search: and to that end examine all thy ways and actions, and see whether they have not been provoking to God; examine them throughly.  
1. In the matter of them, see whether thou hast not fallen short in many things of the letter of the Law, committed those very sins, neglected those very duties, which the least light of Conscience might have convinced thee to be thy duty to be done or avoided.  
2. In the Circumstance of thy actions.  
1. Of time, a thing beautiful in its season; unseasonable, is ugly and deformed: hast thou taken the seasons of Christian duties? hast thou spoken against thy neighbour's sins plainly▪ to his face; privately, or not rather behind his back, slanderously reviling him, & c?  
2. Of 〈◊〉 or persons: David would hold his tongue in presence of the wicked; how many times hast thou failed of due consideration, when, or before thou hast thus done, or thus said.  
3. In the manner of the carriage of yourselves: it may be you have for the matter attended your duty, but have you for the manner too? have not you run out of your duty, and run into sin upon this account? have you not under pretext of zeal for God's glory, and upholding his Name and Honour, given the reins into the neck of 〈◊〉 passions, and with Moses spoken unadvisedly; yea worse than he, raged, reviled, & c? Examine every thing, and possibly God may discover to you more of this mischief lodged in your own heart, than ever yet you were ware of.  
Obj. But general visitations, argue a general provocation, and therefore they argue that we must look abread.  
Ans. The Objection hath nothing in it to impair the necessity of the duty urged in the Direction, at such a time as this: for,  
1. Sometimes a private person may be the occasion of a general and public Calamity: Acha● is the disturber of Israel; Israel is charged with his sin, and fly before their enemies: we read of nothing else that the Lord charges upon them, but only his sin.  
2. General is made up of particulars, and thou art one of those particulars, and therefore mayest well examine thyself upon the account of public and general visitations. If every one should so excuse themselves, where should the sin be found? God saith, In thee are found such, etc. Ezek. 22. he doth not there lay every particular sin upon all, yet all these went together to make up the provocation of God's wrath, and procure their public Calamity.  
3. Thou it may be art a private person, and therefore canst do but little upon a public account but by thy prayers; labour therefore ●o do the more with thine own heart. God hath not set every man in such a place, wherein he is called to busy himself in matters of public concernment, these belong to persons in public employment, whom we can only assist by our prayers, or a detection and discovery of such particular enormities as we are privy to, that they may receive their due reward, and sin may be taken out of Israel: but we have the more scope and opportunity to be searching our own hearts, and if we neglect that work, we do little or nothing.  
4. Thou art not fitted to look abroad, till thou hast first made a thorough work at home, Mat. 7. 1— Thou art like to make but poor work in public matters, whiles thou harbourest sin in thine own heart; if therefore thou hast a desire to do God service upon that account, thou hadst need to be more then ordinarily careful to clear thy own accounts with God, lest thou be found guilty of hypocrisy. It will be found the ready way to bring thyself under inexcusable Condemnation before God, to search after and condemn those sins in others, which thou thyself livest in the daily practice of, Rom. 2. 1. thou must therefore prepare thyself to this work by a thorough search of thy own heart.  
5. Particular Repentance goes before general mercies, Zech. 11. 9 if God intent good to this poor Land he will bring us to this, he will make us get alone, and every one lay his finger upon his own sore, and mourn over our sins wherewithal we have been provoking his Majesty: and when he hath once brought us to that, the time of his gracious visitation is near at hand; yea, that indeed is the first great mercy, for which let us this day seek his face.  
5. Reform according to thy ability, and where thou canst not reform, there mourn.  
First, Reform according to thy latitude.  
1. Reform thy own soul by due discipline towards it, here thou canst not be too strict and severe; let the search be thorough, and the reformation universal: mortify thy lusts and corruptions, ransack and cleanse every corner of thy heart, let none of thy Idols remain, but put them all away; resolve with Ephraim, that thou wilt have no more to do with them, Hos. 14. 8. and beg of God grace that thou mayest stand to thy resolutions.  
2. Reform others that are under thy charge, as far as thou canst do thy best; say to thy Children, as Jacob to his sons, Put away every one from among you his strange gods: Joshua, you know, could undertake not only for himself, but for his too, I and my house will serve the Lord: be sure to reform them as to the outward man, you can indeed do no more, but be sure do that. Content not yourselves to give them some slighty reproofs for their sins, that was Eli's sin, which removed his family from the Priesthood, but make use of that authority which God hath put into your hands, as occasion may require, and then commend the success to God.  
3. Pray to God that he would  
(1) Give and continue an endeavour after Reformation to the Magistracy and Ministry, and give them an advantage, and encourage them in that Work. Bless God in as much as you see their hearts towards the Work, beg of him that he would remove all obstacles and hindrances out of the way, that there may be a thorough and glorious Work of it. Oh be earnest with God for this, without it we have but little hopes to see any more good days.  
(2) Give a spirit of Reformation to all his people, that such a work may be universal consented to, that we may all set our hearts and shoulders to the Work: doubtless there is no greater good we can beg for at the hands of God at this time.  
Secondly, Where thou canst do no good, there mourn: beg of God to give thee a spirit of mourning for all the sins of the Land. We find this spirit to have been eminent in good David, Psal. 119. 136, 158 and it is that, which (if it tend not to the prevention of public 〈◊〉, y●●) will bring a private blessing along with it, such shall not be forgotten in the day of Calamity, but be noted for mercy, Ezek 9 4.  
6. Let thy further enquiry be accomparied with amendment of what is at the present discovered, that is the way to know more; to be faithful in a little, is the way to be trusted with more. If I mistake not, I have now my finger upon the right Sore. I may say indeed this is New England's great disease; God hath begun in his Judgements to visit us, and there is a great deal of enquiry after the Cause: Gods Ministers endeavour faithfully to discover it, and yet still we are querists; Divine Providence speaks, and points at many things evidently, and still we are where we were; we acknowledge many things, and grant them to be amiss, and yet still the cry is, What's the reason? God is pleased to hid the reason: and why? why, men cannot see wood for trees: if we wait for immediate Revelations, we may wait long enough, there is no expecting of one to come from the dead to tell us. Indeed we can hardly look any where, but we may see causes apparent.  
1. Let every private person look at home, take an account with his own heart, and he shall see enough to mend there. Out of doubt, if we deal here ingenuously, we shall find that which may teach us to justify God, and declare him righteous in what concerns us.  
2. Look into Families, and fee what disorders there are, Children rising up against Parents, and carrying themselves disobediently, which hath a dreadful Curse denounced against it: Parents neglecting the due care of their Children, to nurture and bring them up in the admonition of the Lord, cockering, and making them their equals, not keeping their due distances, and too many families without the Worship of God in them, being more like Pagan, than Christian houses.  
3. Look into Towns, and there you shall see disorders, young 〈◊〉 despising the aged, and carrying themselves contemptuously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them; vanity and 〈◊〉 abounding; a selfish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the most, together with a neglect of one another 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 that love which is due one to another wholly in many 〈◊〉; Town-Societies rend in pieces with disorderly Contention.  
4. Look into Congregations, and there you shall see confusions; some contending with their Ministers, and others biting and catching at one another; some not agreeing about the setting up of the Of distances of God among them, and others not contented when they have them, but pulling them down again with might and main; great emulations, jealousies, false surmises, etc. Ministers despised, their Office questioned, their Authority cast off, and trampled upon, than persons undervalved and 〈◊〉 their comfortable Supply and Maintenance neglected, Ordinances 〈◊〉 frequented with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉, etc.  
5. Look into the Body Politic, or Civil State, and there you shall see the Sinews of our Civil Society wondrously loosened: the want of Power in the Supreme Representative Body to strengthen them, by reason of the necessary evils incident to a declining Popular Government; and hence arise many misbehaviours, which time forbids to mention.  
6. Look into the Body Ecclesiastical, and there you shall see Churches; some ready to exalt themselves above the Civil Magistrate, and disowning his Civil Power in matters appertaining to Godliness; others ready to renounce Confociation and Communion one with another, and many the like: and yet we still inquire, What's the reason? Why is God displeased?— Why, is all this nothing▪ yes sure: why, who knows not that these are our distempers?  
Obj. But there is some particular thing which must be known, and this is either in Magistrate, or Ministers, or both: when shall you find in Scripture that God ever brought public Judgements on his people, but the sins of Princes, Priests and Prophets were the causes of it, and are so declared to have been? and therefore we must inquire yet further.  
Ans. 1. This Objection is strange and impertinent, it is as if a Physician should come to a person all over full of mortal wounds, and yet neglects them all, and strangely cries out, There is one singular wound which I must find out: is not this to suffer the person wilfully to perish, by letting him bleed out his life at the known wounds, while he goes upon the discovery of one unknown? Is not this New-englands' 〈◊〉 such as was once Judah's, Isa. 1. 5. and shall we yet grope as in 〈◊〉 after some singular thing: I therefore fear that this is but a fond and hypocritical excuse, to put off the edge of the conviction of present sins, and keep up our credit too, as if we would willingly know the mind of God. But  
2. Suppose there be some singular sin: yet  
First, It doth not need presently terminate upon the Magistracy and Ministry, though wherein they may be wanting in their places, the Lord give them to see & reform it, but it is not my work to scandalise those who cannot hear me speak: yet I say the sin is not needfully theirs. But 

1. It may be universal, a spreading and overrunning distemper. It is true indeed, God sometimes speaks to these, For your sakes they shall go into captivity; but if we be wise and compare Scripture, we shall elsewhere hear God saying, My people would have it so: there is a concurtence, a delight in it.  
2. It may be a sin which Magistrates and Ministers would fain reform, but we will not be reform: our Form of Government both in Church and Commonwealth, is partly democratical, whose corruption and degeneracy being Anarchy, the guilt of the errors of Administration fall upon the people, especially if persons in Office and Place do their endeavour to rectify and amend them, but are overpowered; nay, though they attain an outward Reformation, yet there may remain the guilt of that sin unrepented of upon a Land, which God will not forget, but (though he may delay for a while) will find out a time to call to reckoning. Josiah was the greatest Reformer in Judah that ever was, yet though there were peace in his time, Read 2 Kings 22. 15. & 23. 25, 26.  
3. Consider (though I speak not to excuse sin in any, where they may be guilty before God) yet consider why hath God lately taken away so many of his precious Servants in the Ministry, it is not to their damage or wrong, they are gone to their rest, have left a sinful and sorrowful world, to be invested with a Crown of Glory, and to be with Christ, which is best: but we are bereft, the Lights are put out of our Candlesticks; they were despised here, and they are now received to honour and glory: and this may call us to solemn consideration. Consider Isa. 57 1—    
Secondly, Be it a singular sin, and let it centre where it will, it seems we are to seek about it; I tell you, the way to know it, is to reform what we do know. God reveals himself by degrees to a people, according to their improvement. God hath told us of these and those things; why should he discover any more, since we mend not, but make so ill use of what he hath discovered. Let me tell you, and I can assure you of it to be a truth, prove it, and you shall have experience of it, If we repent from our hearts of our known sins, God will either remove the stroke off from us, or further discover what is provoking to him.  
Return, come.] Verba festinantes. The words  
1. Contain a general duty: this duty is a serious Repentance, implied in both words put together. Return. Esau went out from the Church, despised the Privileges of it, his Posterity here is called upon to come back again. Come; i. e. Come to God, to him from who● you went away in that Apostasy: which two are true Repentance▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 away from sin, a going to God.  
2. They imply a thorough Repentance, both words laid together; Forsake sin, and cleave unto God, this is a whole work.  
3. They imply a speedy Repentance, Return, come. God is at a word with them, if they will, let them make haste. Hence, to sum up all in one, observe this  
Doct. When God gins to visit a sinning people for their sins, he expects a thorough and speedy Repentance.  
In the Doctrine there are three things:  
1. God now expects Repentance: he promiseth himself such an effect, Isa. 26 9 hence he calls for it, Jer. 26. 12, 13.  
2. God expects a thorough Repentance, it is no halving of it with God, when once he hath taken the rod into his hand, Jer. 4. 1.  
3. God expects a speedy Repentance, God is in haste, and so must we, ibid.  
Reas. 1. Of the the first; From God's merciful Nature, who had rather sinners should repent and live, Ezek. 36. 11. he had rather spare then destroy, but it must be so as his Honour may not be wronged, which is near and precious to him, and therefore it must be by giving glory to him in a way of Repentance. Hence God when he hath begun, useth delays, and moves slowly in bringing his Judgements.  
Reas. 2. Of the second; Because partial Repentance is but a mockery: We own God all, and therefore in every thing wherein we have offended him, we ought to repent and return, and seek to make it up. He that doth not repent seriously of every sin, doth not repent truly of any sin; he that doth not return unto God, doth not in truth turn away from his sin: a half repentance therefore is no repentance at all.  
Reas. 3. Of the third:  
1. Because this is the last means, and therefore if this do it not, what hopes are there remaining of such a people's Reformation. God takes not the Rod in his hand till he be enforced to it, Lam. 3. 37. he useth all other means first, Convictions, Reproofs, Warnings, Threaten, and waits to see if these will not reach his ends, and work repentance; when all these fail, than he gins to afflict a people: now if this will not effect it, nothing will, such a people are beyond hopes obstinate in rebellion, whom Judgements will not awaken to repentance, and therefore God hath little encouragement to use any long delays with such a people.  
2: Because God delays till he be indeed provoked, and therefore there is need to make haste. God in this exalts his Patience to wait a long time upon a rebellious people, but if Patience be worn out, we had need have a care now to ourselves, Isa. 27. 4.  
Use. Here we see what is our work to day: God hath begun and made an entrance, and hath been bringing of us on to a stage of Judgements, I need not mention the particulars wherein his hand hath been out against us. Here you see what God expects at our hands.  
First, He must have Repentance, if you come not to this you do nothing; if you only confess, it is but half a Fast, you must forsake too.  
1. God will be owned to be just, in the most retired thoughts of your hearts, he cannot bear it to be found fault withal, of be though: to do any wrong; he will have you to acknowledge, that in all he hath done, he is righteous.  
2. Hence you must see your sins, your many provocations, your Covenant-breaking, and your particular enormities, you cannot else justify God aright, for that is only done by a sight of sin in its being, its heinousness and guilt.  
3. God punisheth for sin, hence therefore you must forsake them you must part with those sins which have parted between God and you: God's holiness will keep him at a distance from you, so long as you keep your sins, and do not willingly part with them: he cannot love you, till you hate your sins.  
Secondly, He must have a thorough Repentance.  
1. You must repent of all your sins, that is, all universally, and all particularly, as he comes to discover them to you, you must be sure hide none under your tongue, spare none, but bring them all forth and confess them before God; the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a distance from God.  
2. You must amend 〈…〉