The next observation is this, That upon the approach of a destruc tive dissolution, it is required of all professors to be signal in holi ness: " Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?"
I take here an approaching, destructive dissolution not to be that
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530 HOLINESS URGED FROM THE
which attends all our designs upon the common account, but upon the account of the judgments of God that are in the world, the judg ments of God that come upon people and nations. And I would speak to two things: — 1. What are the evidences of the approach of a destructive dissolution ; 2. What are the reasons from thence unto signal holiness and godliness.
FIRST, What are the signs and tokens of an approaching dissolution ?
First, There is one in general that never misses; I mean this, that we have no instance in Scripture that ever God brought a destruc tion upon any place or people where that did not go before it, — and if we can free ourselves from that, we may free ourselves from the fear of an approaching dissolution, — and that is, security. The rule of all great, destructive judgments is laid down in 1 Thess. v. 3, "When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall not escape/' You never read of any people or place destroyed with overturning judgments, but it is remarked before their approach that they were secure ; though we do not rightly understand this security. There is no security but such as a woman may have that is with child, that yet may be surprised with the hour of travail. It is not every thought and apprehension of danger, every conjecture, every talk of it, that will free men from being in such a security as opens the door to great judgments and destructions. Things are so evident sometimes that men cannot but think, that unless a miracle interpose judgments must come; but yet they come "as travail upon a woman with child." Therefore there are three or four things wherein this security doth consist: —
1. It consists in a general, earnest intension upon the occasions of life and the temptations of life, When a nation is divided into these two sorts, that some are extraordinarily intent upon the occa sions of life, and some are extraordinarily compliant with the tempta tions of life, that nation is under universal security. It was so before the flood. Our Saviour tells us of some of them, Matt. xxiv. 38, that " they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in mar riage;" they were earnestly intent upon the occasions of life. And some of them were given up to a compliance with the temptations of life. Surfeiting, drunkenness, violence, the earth was filled withal. Let us now tnink what we will, talk what we will, if a nation may be distributed into these two parts, — one part over-intent upon the occasions of this life, and the other over-compliant with the tempta tions of life, sin and wickedness, — that nation, that people, is secure.
2. When, upon a prospect of the danger of approaching destructive dissolutions, men betake themselves to any other preparations or provisions than unto the proper remedy and help, there is security.
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In Isa. xxli. there is a great and terrible vision concerning a destruc tive dissolution coming upon Jerusalem: Verse 2, "Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city : thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle;" — that is, not yet. The day cometh: Verse 5, " It is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of per plexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains." And in verses 8-11, he tells you what provision was made to avoid this destruction and desolation that was coming upon them: " He discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest. Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many : and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool/' Those were not a secure people, surely, who took all this pains, were at all this charge, made all this provision, to prevent destruction from coming upon them. There are a people in the world who can see destruction lie at the door, and make no manner of preparation to keep it off from them. But these people were secure ; and the rea son is given: Verse 11, " But ye have not looked unto the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago." They had respect to other things to give relief, and not unto God, who alone ought to have been looked unto. We are not rulers or governors of nations, but poor and private persons. Let us examine our hearts what provision we are most apt to make against a de structive dissolution. Have we not hopes and reserves that we may escape ?— this way and that way we may do it ; it may come here, and not there ? This is a sign of security.