3. That now is the time of the church's affliction. More particularly, even now is the time of Jacob's trouble ; even now God hath put a cup into the church's hand, and it must go round. The sword hath a commission to de- vour, which is not yet called in.
THE chuech's visitation. 379
Quest. But what be the more especial times wherein a man may know some judgment is like to fall upon the church of God ?
Ans. 1. How ice may know when some jud/pnent approacheth. The Scrip- ture is wondi'ous fuU in the point. God usually, before any heavy judgment, visits a people with lesser judgments. His footsteps first appear in some small token of his displeasure ; but if that prevails not, then he hrinrjs a greater.
Sign 1. ' This, and this have I done,' saith the Lord, ' and yet ye have not returned unto me,' Amos iv. 6, 7. There be droppings before the ruin of a house. Lesser judgments make way for greater, as a little wedge makes way for a greater; and, therefore, where less aiSictions prevail not, there cannot but be an expectation of greater. ' Why should I smite you any more?' saith God; * you fall away more and more,' Isa. i. 5; that is, I must have a sweeping judgment to carry you clean away.
Sign 2. Again, usually before some great calamity God takes away ivorthy men, ' the councillor, and the captain, and the man of war,' Isa. iii. 2, 3. This is is a fearful presage that God threateneth some destruction, for they are the pillars of the chm-ch and the strength of the world ; they are those that make the times and places good wherein they live ; for they keep away evil and do good by their example and by their prayers many ways. A good man is a common good. The city thrives the better, as Solomon saith, for a righteous man, Prov. xi. 10, 11, Eccles. ix. 15. Therefore, we have cause to rejoice in them, and it is an evil sign when such are removed.*
Sign 3. God usually visits a people when some horrible crying sins reign amongst them, as (1) atheism. Beloved, God stands upon his prerogative then, when he is scarce known in the world ; when they say, Where is God ? God sees us not, &c. So, Ukewise (2), when idolatry prevails. This is spiritual adultery and a breach of covenant with God. Again (3), when divisions grow amongst a people. Union is a preserver. Where there is dissension of judgment, there will soon be dissension of affections ; and dissipation will be the end if we take not heed. For the most part, ecclesi- astical dissensions end in civil ; and therefore we see, before the destruction of Jerusalem, what a world of schisms and divisions were amongst the Jews. There were Pharisees and Sadducees, &c. It was the ruin of the ten tribes at length, the rent that Jeroboam caused in religion. It is a fearful sign of some great judgment to fall upon a church, when there is not a stopping of dissensions. They may be easily stopped at first, as waters in the begin- ning ; but when they are once gotten into the veiy vital parts of the church and commonwealth, we may see the mischief, but it is hardly t remedied.
Sign 4. Again, when sin goes with some evil circumstances and odious quali- ties, ivhich aggravate the same in the sight of God, as when sin gi'ows ripe, and abounds in a land or nation. At such a time as this a man may know there is some fearful judgment approaching.
Quest. But when is sin ripe ?
Ans. 1. When it is impudent ; when men gi'ow bold in sin, making it their whole course and trade of life. When men's wicked courses are their * conversation,'! they cannot tell how to do otherwise.
2. When sin gi-ows common and spreads far. It is an iU plea to say, Others do so as well as I. Alas ! the more sin, the more danger.
3. When there is a security in sinning, without fear or dread of the Almighty, as if men would dare the God of heaven to do his worst. Oh,
* Compare reflections on Sibbes's own death, by Catlin. Appendix to Memoir, pp. cxxxiii-v.— G. t That is, ' with difficulty.' — G.
X That is, ' habitual.' Compare 2 Peter ii. 7 ; 1 Peter i. 15, et alibi. — G
380 THE church's visitation.
beloved, such persons as go on still in their sins to provoke the Lord, do put a sword, as it were, into God's hands to destroy themselves.
The old world, you know, was very secure. No doubt, they mocked at holy Noah when he made the ark, as if he had been a doting old man. Notwithstanding, he foretold them of the wrath to come. And our Saviour, Christ, saith, ' Before the end of the world it shall be as in the days of Noah,' Mat. xxiv. 38. Beloved, God hath his ' old worlds ' still. If we have the same course and security of sinning, we must look for the same judgments. And, therefore, compare times with times. If the times now answer former times, when God judged them, we may well expect the same fearful judgments to fall upon us.