' These things were spoken on the burning of several persons to death in one of tlio hite fires iu London.
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we live, it would be the means of saving a poor nation from othenvise inevitable ruin. The state is so with us, that, unless we repent, we shall perish. I do not prescribe unto the sovereignty of God in his providential administrations. He can, if he please, suffer all his warn- ings to be despised, all his calls neglected, yea, scoffed at, and yet exercise forbearance towards us, as unto a speedy execution of judg- ment. But woe unto them with whom he so deals; for it hath only this end, that they may have a space to fill up the measure of their iniquities, and so be fitted for eternal destruction, Rom. ix. 22. There is a threefold issue and event of the state we have described.
1. When a sinful church or nation so attend unto God's warnings \n previous judgments, and other signs of his displeasure, as to com- ply with them by repentance and reformation. This is a blessed issue, which Avill certainly divert all impendent judgments; as shall be afterward declared.
2. When, by reason of the neglect of them, and want of compli- ance with them, God doth bring distress and calamities upon a people in general. This is a sad event. But, however, under it God doth often preserve a seed and remnant which, being brought through the fire, and thereby purged and purified, though but as a poor and afflicted people, yet they shall be preserved as a seed and reserve for a better state of the church. See Zech. xiii. 8, 9; Isa. vi. 11-13, xxiv. 6, 13; Zeph. iii. 12; Ezek. v. 2, 12.
3. When God utterly forsakes a people, he will regard them no more, but give them up unto idolatry, false worship, and all sorts of wickedness. When he says, " Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more," — this is the sorest of judg- ments. " Woe also to them," saith the Lord, " when I depart from them!" Hos. ix. 12. Of such a people there shall be neither hope nor remnant, Ezek. xlvii. 11. Who would not rather see a nation suffering under some judgments, as the effects of God's displeasure for the neglect of his warnings, whereby it may be purged, and puri- fied, and restored, than to be left under idolatry and all manner of wickedness for ever?
But the way is here proposed for the avoidance of these evils. And these things will be more fully spoken unto afterward.
I shall first give some evidences of the truth laid down, and then the reason of it; which will make way for what I principally in- tend.
I shall not insist on the esptecial hind of warnings or signs here mentioned, but only on the general nature of divine warnings, by the ' word or otherwise, in such a season as wherein an abounding of sin is accompanied with great evidences of approaching judgments.
1. According unto this nile was the dealing of God with the old
COG THE DESIGN OF BirENDENT JUDGIMENTS.
xuorld; which is set forth unto us for an example. See 1 Pet. iii. 20; 2 Pet. ii. 5.
The men of the old world were a sinful, provoking generation. God gave them warning of his displeasure by the preaching of Noah, and other ways. During his ministry, the long-suffering of God waited for their repentance and reformation; for this was the end both of the season and of the ministry gi'anted unto them therein : but when it was not complied withal, he brought the flood on those ungodly men.
2. So he dealt with the church under the Old Testament. A sum- mary account is given of it, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15-17. After a con- tempt of all God's previous warnings, with a neglect of repentance and reformation, the time came when there was no remedy, but the city and temple must be destroyed, and the people be paitly slain, and partly carried into captivity. Accordingly, there is a general rule established for all times and seasons. Pro v. xxix, 1.
8. Neither have his dealings been otherwise with the churches of the New Testament. All those of the first plantation have been ruined and destroyed by the sword of God's displeasure, for impeni- tency under divine calls and warnings.
4. God gave an eminent instance hereof in the ministry of Jere- miah the prophet. He gives him the law of his prophecy, chap. x\dii. 7, 8, " At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and con- cerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it ; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." Here is the whole of the truth laid down represented unto us. The nation and kingdom especially intended was that of the people and church of the Jews. Concerning them it is supposed that they were evil, — that sin abounded amongst them. In this state God gave them warning by the ministry of Jeremiah, as he did otherwise also. The voice of these wai'nings was, that they should repent them of their evil, and reform their ways. On a supposition whereof he promises to remove the judgments which they had deserved, and Avhich Avere impendent over them : upon their failin-e herein, he declares that fear- ful desolation should befall them; as it did afterward, verses 15-17. According to this rule, the prophet persisted in his ministry. The sum of his sermon Avas this: It is a time of great sin and provoca- tion;— these and these are your sins; — these are evident tokens of God's displeasure against you, and of the near approaching of de- solating judgments. In this state, repent, return, and reform your ivays, and you shall he delivered: — in case you do not, utter destruc- tion shall come upon you.