But the princes, the priests, and generally all the people, set them- selves against him herein, and Avould not believe his word.
THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS. GOT"
And by three things they countenanced themselves m their unbe- lief and impenitency, that they should be delivered ; although they did not repent nor reform their ways.
First. By their j^rivtYerjfes; — that they were the only church and people of God, who had the temple and his worship amongst them : as if he should say, The best reformed church in the world. This they directly confront his ministry withal, chap. vii. 3, 4. They fear none of his threatenings, they despise his counsel for their safety, approve then- ways and their doings, because they were the church, and had the temple for their security.
Secondly. By their own strength for ivar, and their defence against all their enemies. They gloried in their Avisdom, their might, and their riches; as he intimateth, chap. ix. 23.
Thirdly. By the lielp and aid which they expected fro7n others, especially from Egypt. And hei'ein they thought once that they had prevailed against him, and utterly disproved his rule of safety by re- formation only; for Avhen the Chaldeans besieged the city, by whom the judgments he had threatened them withal were to be executed, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, coming up against them, they departed from Jerusalem for fear of his army, chap, xxxvii. 5, 11. Hereon, no doubt, they triimiphed against him, and were satisfied that their oAvn way for deliverance was better than that troublesome way of repent- ance and reformation which he prescribed unto them. But he knew from whom he had his message, and what would be the event of the false nopes and joys which they had entertained. So he tells them, verses 9, 10, " Deceive not yourselves, saying. The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us : for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire." Which ac- cordingly came to pass.
And so it will be with any other people, against all pleas and pre- tences to the contrary.
Let the case be stated according as it is laid down in the proposi- tion, and explained in the instance of Jeremiah.
Suppose a church or people do abound with provoking sins; that, during the time of God's patience towards them, and warning of them, there are signs and tokens of his displeasure and of impendent judg- ments;— let them feed themselves so long as they please with hopes of dehverance and safety, — unless they comply -with the calls of God unto repentance and reformation, they will fall under desolating judgments, or be utterly forsaken of God for ever.
The grounds and reasons of this rule and order in divine dispensations are many, plain and obvious ; which I shall not at large insist upon.
608 THE DESIGN OF IMPENDENT JUDGMENTS.
I shall only at present mention some of tliera; because those of the most evidence and importance will accrue afterward unto our consideration : —
1. This rule of proceeding is suited unto the rigldeoxisness of God in the government of the world, in the inbred light of the minds of men. This notion, that judgment or divine vengeance will overtake imiienitent sinners, luho have been iweviously zuarned of their sin, is that which we are not taught, which we do not leani from one an- other,— which is not only the voice of divine revelation, but that which is born with us, which is inseparable from our nature ; the light and conviction whereof, neither with respect unto ourselves or others, we can avoid. This is the voice of nature in mankind, Lmpenitent sin- ners, incurable by warnings, are the i^roper objects of divine dis- pleasure. And the absolute impunity of such persons would be a great temptation unto atheism, as the suspension of deserved judg- ments on provoking sinners is with some at this day. But ordinarily and finally, God will not act contrary unto the inbred notions of his righteousness in the government of the world, which he himself hath implanted in the minds of men. But as for the times, seasons, and ways of the execution of his judgments, he hath reserved them unto his own sovereignty.
2. It is needful unto the vindication of the faithfulness of God in his threatenings, given out by divine revelation. By this he hath always, from the beginning of the world, testified unto his own holi- ness and righteousness, whereof they are the most proper expressions. Those first recorded of them are in the prophecy of Enoch, Jude 14, 15. And they have been since continued in all ages. But whereas the wisdom of God, acting in righteousness, hath been ac- companied with patience and forbearance in the accomplishment of these threatenings, there have been, and yet ai-e, mockers and scoffers at these divine threatenings, as though they were a mere noise, of no efficac}^ or signification. So the apostle declares the thoughts of the minds of men profane and ungodly, 2 Pet. iii. 8, 4. Wherefore, there is a condecency Unto the divine excellencies, that God, in his own way and time, should vindicate his faithfulness in all his threat- enings.